Ordinary People
by Bob the Robot
Summary: Ordinary People are everywhere, but only a few have the chance to rise up and become heroes. HeroesOC.
1. Alec Lions

**note to reader:** this is my second HEROES fan fiction, and I am very happy to finally get it posted! Everything associated or related to the TV Series HEROES is property of all those big shots that made this super awesome show. All original characters are from my imaginative mind. Enjoy!

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York – 5:30 AM)

_**Ert! Ert! Ert!**_

The young man that was once asleep shot out of bed. The annoying buzz of the alarm clock rang throughout the room like an unwanted reminder that it was time to wake up. He looked around, quite disgruntled from the abrupt wake up, and eyed the irritating machine. After tossing his covers aside, he quickly turned it off.

"I hate getting up so early," he mumbled to himself.

Alec stood in the middle of his room. He yawned, using his hand to cover his mouth. The time read five thirty... in the morning. Once again he mumbled under his breath at the inconvenience of waking up so early.

After his daily stretch, Alec went to his bed post and grabbed his towel. He opened his door and walked down to the bathroom, passing by the large bay window of the apartment. It was still dark outside, but he knew that the sun was just waiting to peak its head over the sky to say 'hello' to the world.

The lights flicked on, temporarily blinding him. He used his hand to cover his eyes, blindly groping for the shower knob. Quickly finding it, he turned it to 'hot'. Alec gently placed his head against the wall for a quick nap as he placed his hand underneath the slowly heating liquid.

Alec Lions was an average seventeen year old in High School. Self-described as a strong, confidant person that knew how to handle himself, he wasn't quite as muscular as the football players, but just cut enough to catch the eyes of the cute girls on campus. He wasn't the most popular guy around, but he had a way with people that made him easy to like. Alec wasn't necessarily someone you'd call book smart. Not surprisingly, however, he had a decent grade point average and finished the homework he was assigned... sometimes. Despite these many character traits, Alec's passion was running, which is why, from an early age, he had joined the track team. He was known as the _fastest_ senior in the entire school district. People called him extraordinary.

Alec wasn't always described that way though. He used to be quite ordinary.

The heat of the water snapped him out of his dream and into the real world. After changing the faucet to the shower head, he undressed himself and stepped in.

"Another day," he said to himself. "Another stupid day of school."

* * *

Alec walked down the sidewalk to his school, his track jacket wrapped around his body for warmth. People were already filling the sidewalks. Everyone had somewhere to go. Pedestrians raised their hands for taxis. Walked down to the subway stations. Drove in the traffic. The loud roar of jet engines caused Alec to looked up.

Someone brushed passed Alec, nearly knocking him over. The culprit called for a taxi that was close by.

Alec looked at him and scoffed. "Jerk."

He turned a corner and walked through the gates that led to the campus grounds. The school was empty, save for all of the sports players, like himself, who needed to arrive early. His feet made soft tapping noises as they connected to the concrete ground. As he walked to the football field, he noticed that some of his team mates had already arrived.

One of his team mates looked up from where he was standing. "Hey, Alec, over here!"

Alec nodded his head in acknowledgement and walked towards them. When he got to the group, he opened his hands to give each a firm handshake.

Kyle, the one who had initially called Alec over, shivered in his track jacket. "It's pretty cold so early."

"True that," said Justin as he flipped his hood over his head.

Jarrod nodded. "Yeah, but hopefully the Quick Race will warm us up."

Alec kept his hands in his pockets. He took this chance to take a glance around the football field. There were the Football players walking into the weight room during their zero periods. Alec's eyes wondered over to the other side of the campus and eyed the water polo players. There was a girl he knew in water polo. He looked for her.

Justin nudged Alec coyly. "Looking for Casey?"

"Who?"

"She's over there."

Alec's drew his attention to where his friend had pointed. Casey walked a couple of yards away with her water polo parka on to keep herself warm.

He couldn't help but raise his hand. "Casey!"

She turned to face him. A smile came across her face and she waved back.

Alec smiled and came back to the conversation with his track friends. Everyone looked at him before quickly turning away. Their immature snickers and smirks could not hide their attempt mock him.

He put his hands back into his pockets. "Shut up, Guys. She's just my friend."

Jarrod laughed. "Sure."

Kyle began walking towards the track. "Guys, there's Coach."

Alec took one more glance at Casey before jogging over to where the rest of the team had gathered. He silently nodded to each teammate as he approached. The Coach stood with his arms across his chest like a military general, assembling his troops for war.

"Okay guys, today is the big track meet. It is essential that we win this one. This one's to take divisional. I think we can do it. No, I _know_ we can do it! You guys have come close every season and this year is your year!"

Someone in the back yelled out, "Hell yeah!"

The group chuckled at their teammate's enthusiasm.

"Hell yeah!" he encouraged his team. "Every single one of you has to take it upon yourself to go out there and win. Now let's see those Forties."

The team yelled out in a loud uproar of victorious speech. They stood and lined up in their designated spots. Alec got up and slowly made his way to the starting line. The coach gently tapped him by the shoulder.

He turned around. "Yeah, Coach Shay?"

"Alec, we both know that, if any one deserves first place, it's you."

"Thanks, Coach."

"I mean it, Alec. You've improved so much in your speed. Heck, some people think that you're doing steroids." He gave a light chuckle before quickly grabbing his arm. "You're not doing steroids, are you?"

Alec shook his head. "No, sir. I would never touch the stuff."

"Good. Now get out there and show the rest of this team how a real track star runs!"

Alec just patted his coach on the shoulder and jogged out to the starting line.

Justin grinned as they lined up next to each other. He extended his arm for a fist bump. Alec couldn't help but laugh as he humored his friend's gesture. Once in the crouched running position, Alec looked over to where Casey was. She was looking at him with her coach. He waved his hand and a wave came back. He smiled and refocused his attention on the finish line.

The Coach lined up on the sideline. "One! Two! Three! Go!"

Bodies shot off of the line and onto the track. Feet slammed against the ground and carried each body closer and closer to their goal. Alec looked at his teammates. They were going so slow to him. He looked at Justin to his left. He was so concentrated on finishing. His eyes were intense, his focus was locked. Alec looked to the teammate to his right. This guy was already panting.

The finish line lay straight ahead. With just a thought, he increased his speed. His mind was on making his coach proud, to show him how fast he really was. He didn't want to hold back. Left the runners behind him. Alec looked back at to see how far he had come. They had barely even started.

Alec smiled. But it quickly disappeared as he realized what he had done.

Coach Shay almost stumbled as he ran up to him. "Alec! That... that… that was amazing! Am I on crack 'cause you looked like a blur!"

The young man nervously rubbed the back of his head. The runners came up to the finish line, gasping for air. Alec looked at them. They tried so hard. He looked at Justin. His friend gave the thumbs up sign and fell on the floor exhausted.

Coach Shay poked him in the shoulder. "You were flying, man!" He took out the stop watch. "Your time was two minutes and- two minutes? This thing must be broken. You were going extremely fast. A lot faster than these guys." He looked at the rest of the team. "I mean, you all did very well. It's just that Alec is much better."

The other teammates groaned in response.

"Oh, thanks, coach," Alec timidly said. "I, uh… gotta go to the bathroom. I'll be back."

Alec ran across the cement. He needed to get out of there. His mind raced with questions. He wondered if anybody realized that he was going faster than everyone else. Abnormally faster. He wondered if anyone would get curious. Alec ran past the pool where Casey was watching.

He looked at her face. She was concerned. Alec gave a weak smile and ran off towards the bathroom. He looked into the mirror. The reflection looked back.

"What were you thinking? You want to get caught? You want to get thrown off of the team? You're cheating! Don't make it look so obvious."

The reflection repeated the words. He looked into his face. Alec eyed the figure in the mirror. He needed to take control. The faucet turned on and Alec placed his hands underneath the cool liquid. He splashed his face and placed both hands on the rim of the sink before lowering his head in contemplation.

* * *

Casey waited by the bathroom door. Alec silently crept out, cautiously looking around to make sure no one was nearby.

She followed behind him. "You got some fast feet, Alec," she said.

Alec quickly turned around. "I... Oh, it's just you."

"'Hi' to you too. You look terrible."

"Oh," he laughed. "Thanks."

"No, I mean… Are you okay? You ran out of there pretty fast."

Alec managed to let out a smile. "You have no idea."

The sun was now up around six thirty. Casey adjusted her parka since it was getting warmer. She nudged him. "So… what was your time?"

Alec only shrugged. "It was probably like four something."

"Wow, that's fast."

Alec smiled. He put his arm around her. He couldn't help himself. "I'm a lot faster than that."

Casey laughed. She gave him a hug. "I gotta go back to practice. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Oh, well, I am now."

"Aw, that's sweet. I'll see you later."

"Oh wait," Alec said. "Are you going to the track meet?"

Casey thought about it. She gave him a sweet look and then smiled. "Yeah, I'll be there rooting for the fastest man alive."

Alec laughed.

She went off as soon as they were approaching the pool. Alec watched her leave. After she disappeared underneath the water, he went back to the track field. His coach was waiting there. Coach Shay had his arms crossed and was watching the rest of the team sprint across.

Alec stood at his side and also crossed his arms. "You think we'll win today?"

Coach Shay kept his eyes on the runners. He nodded his head, but never drew his attention off of his team. "I have no doubt in my mind that we'll take divisional. No doubt in my mind."

Alec sighed. "You're expecting a lot out of me, aren't you?"

"I expect a lot out of every individual on my team, Alec."

* * *

Alec brought his hands over his head and stretched. After he bent down and touched his toes, he stretched his legs. The race was going to begin in two minutes. As he stretched, Alec looked at all of the other runners. They too were preparing for the race ahead. Each one was running for one goal: first place. A first place that belonged to Alec. Alec couldn't help but to grin.

"Everyone to your starting positions!" said the man over the announcer.

Alec looked at the people sitting in the stadium. He looked for a familiar face but did not see it. He disappointingly lined up with the rest of the runners. The stadium shook as the racers went into their starting positions. Alec breathed in. And breathed out. He was going to win this race. He was going to beat everyone there.

Alec smirked and got ready.

"On your mark… get set… go!"

He took off with a flash.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	2. Casey Walker

**note to reader:** all characters related to HEREOS belongs to NBC and the producers. All other characters are of my own creation.

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York – 5:30 AM)

**_Ert! Ert! Ert!_**

Her eyes shot open. Casey immediately sat up and looked at the clock. It read five thirty. Irately, she yawned and groggily pulled the covers off of her body. After walking across the room, she pressed the snooze button and glanced around in search for her towel.

She could not find it.

After a shrug she walked off towards the bathroom of her apartment. She passed by the kitchen where her mother was already awake, quietly sipping on her daily cup of coffee. Casey waved her hand and her mother returned the greeting.

Casey walked into the bathroom and opened the closet. She grabbed a towel and placed it on the countertop. She looked into the mirror. Her hands ran through her soft, blonde hair.

She sighed.

"Another day of school."

Cold water gushed through shower head and she quickly retracted her hand. It always took a few minutes to get to the right temperature. As she waited, Casey walked over to the open bathroom window and peaked out. It was still dark out, but in the distance, she could see the rising morning star, peeking its head up over the tall buildings just waiting to say 'hello.' Casey smiled.

Casey Walker was a junior is High School. While she was only sixteen years old, Casey felt that she had a certain measure of maturity. She was confidant in the things she was good at, but, understandably, still had some insecurities... mostly about the way she looked. This year, she had blonde hair that hung down to her shoulders. But that was subject to change depending on her mood. She told her friends often that her body was plain, but many other students on campus thought otherwise. Despite these physical insecurities, however, Casey felt the most comfortable in the water. Casey was the only sophomore to be in varsity Water Polo the year before. And one year later, she continued on the varsity team and was considered one of the best players in the school.

Her hand went back underneath the flowing liquid. It was hot. She undressed herself and nimbly walked into the shower. The heat of the water warmed her cold body. Her eyes closed and she let the heat sink in. It was refreshing.

Casey went to grab the shampoo bottle when a strange tingling shot through her body. She stopped her hand short of the bottle. Her eyes were locked on her fingers. Her melting fingers! She quickly brought her hand up to her face and inspected them. The thumb and index fingers were melting into water.

Casey yelled in horror and turned off the shower head. She pushed the door open and ran to the mirror. Her hand touched the glass, but her hand was back to normal. It was no longer melting into liquid. She brought it close to her face once again.

"What the heck was that?"

* * *

Casey decided to go to school early. After grabbing her backpack and her water polo bag, she opened the door to her apartment and left. The sun had still not come up, but her mind wasn't on the weather or whether the sun would come up or not. Her mind was on the strange occurrence that happened in the shower.

"My fingers were melting," she said to herself. "Was I hallucinating?"

She walked over to the curb and raised her hand for a taxi. After a little wait, the yellow automobile pulled up. She opened the car door and told the driver the directions to her school. While in the car, her mind wondered over the oddness of it all. She looked down at her hand again. She sighed and looked out the window.

"How are you this morning?" said the cab driver.

Casey drew her attention away from the buildings outside and focused it to the cab driver. She looked down at the driver's license on the back of his seat. It read _Mohinder Suresh_. She politely smiled. "I'm doing good, Mr. Suresh. How are you?"

"I'm doing well."

She nodded her head. "That's good."

Her last words floated carelessly into silence. Nothing was said after that, but Casey wanted to tell the stranger what had happened that morning. It was so bizarre that she felt compelled to say something out loud. She opened her mouth to speak. "Have you ever…um, wondered if... or, have you ever wondered about strange things in the world?"

"Strange things?"

"I know, it's a stupid question."

"I have asked many in my life."

She chuckled. "Do you think it's possible if people can… I don't know, do amazing things?"

"Of course. I believe that there are people everywhere that can do amazing things. It's up to each individual, however, to choose whether or not they want to do such feats of extraordinary excellence."

Casey sighed. It wasn't what she was talking about. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

The taxi cab stopped at the curb of her school.

Casey did not move. She looked back at her hand. "Have you ever wondered why we're here? What our purpose is?"

"Why are you so curious?" he asked in response.

"I'm not sure. I'm just... I just want to know."

Mohinder turned around. "Where does it come from?"

She looked at the man. "What?"

"This quest. This need to solve life's mysteries when the simplest of questions can never be answered. Why are we here? What is the soul? Why do we dream? Life would be better off not looking at all. Not delving. Not yearning. That's our human nature. Not the human heart. That is not why we are here."

Casey looked into his eyes. They were truthful. Something in his eyes made her think. She nodded her head. "Thank you."

After she paid, the taxi cab drove away. Casey watched it drive off before heading off through the gates that led to the campus grounds. The school was completely empty. Not a soul in sight. She silently made her way to the pool. Although it was locked, she used the extra key in her position. Her coach, Coach Bailey, trusted her enough to give her the one so she could practice whenever she wanted.

Casey walked in, passed the pool and into the locker room to change. As she changed, thoughts about what Mohinder had said so her came back to mind. She looked down at her hand. It was still flesh.

She walked out into the darkness of the early morning. Her arms gently wrapped themselves around her body as a cold wind blew by. Her eyes went over to the pools monitor to make sure that the pool was heated. It was. Two arms were put over her head as she dove in.

Casey came back up and took a breath of fresh air. She brought her hands up and pushed her hair out of her face. Suddenly the feeling came back, except this time, it wasn't as strange. She looked up into the sky. She closed her eyes. She felt her body become one with the water. She felt her body separate into the liquid around her.

Casey opened her eyes.

She looked at her hand. It was water. Her entire body had become living water. Casey looked down and dove farther down into the deep end. She opened her mouth. She could breath! The water around her was like oxygen. With amazing speed, she swam to the other side of the pool and back.

Her head came back up and her body returned to normal. Casey immediately got out of the pool and put on her parka. _Did that really happen?_ she thought.

The crude laughter and boisterous bellows from nearby forced her out of her thoughts. Some of the track team and some football players had arrived. Casey also saw some fellow water polo players. She wrapped the parka tighter around her body and walked out to meet her friends. She needed some normality. She needed some stability.

On the way, a few football players waved to her and she waved back.

"Hey, Casey, how's it going?" said one of her friends.

"Hi, Megan," she replied.

Another water polo player waved to her too. "Hi, Casey."

"Hi, Amy."

Megan also had her parka on. She had her hands in her large pockets. "So I was talking to Jarrod last night. He said he wanted to take me out to dinner sometime."

The girls around her gave their responses of "That's cute," or "Aww." Casey just smiled. Her mind was not on the conversation though. Her body had turned completely into water. She was breathing water. It was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced. It was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. So many questions flooded into her mind: _What was happening? Why was it happening? Am I going crazy? _But just as she was not interested in what her friends were discussing, they, too, were not interested in what she was thinking.

The other water polo players just continued to talk about their many daily things. School. Homecoming. Boys.

"Well, not that this isn't interesting," she said, "but I think I should go back to pool and do some laps before the coach comes."

Casey made her way back to the swimming pool. Her mind was still on her amazing power. Her ability. The words of the simple cab driver took meaning to her. It finally made sense.

A familiar voice broke her train of thought. "Casey!"

She turned to face the voice. A smile came across her face and she waved back. It was her good friend Alec. He went back to talking to her friends and Casey walked on.

As she got closer to the pool, she saw her coach. Casey politely smiled and went up to her. "How're you doing, Coach?"

Coach Bailey smiled. "I'm good, Case. I see you decided to get some extra practice in… like you need it."

Casey slightly chuckled. "Yeah."

"That's what I like about you, Casey. You always want to do the best that you can do. You're always the one to come early to practice and leave last after it. And to top it off, you're one heck of a swimmer and polo player. You're amazing at what you do. It's like you have some sort of gift."

"Thanks, Coach, that means a lot."

"Look," Coach Bailey said pointing to the track field. "The track stars are going to practice."

Casey looked over to where the runners were lining up. She caught the eye of Alec as he waved to her. She waved back. He smiled and bent down into his starting position.

Her coach laughed. "Was that Alec?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

"He's a cute guy."

She nodded her head. "Yeah."

Just then, the runners took off the line. She kept her eyes on Alec. As quickly as he ran off the line, he had finished the race. In a magnificent blur, he came to the finish line. She looked on in amazement. "Wow, what was that?"

Coach Bailey shrugged and began walking away. "That is one fast kid."

Casey looked back to where Alec was, but he wasn't there. He was running towards the bathrooms. Alec ran past the pool where Casey was watching. He looked at her face. He looked scared. Alec awkwardly smiled and ran off. Casey tilted her head in question and walked off after him.

* * *

Casey waited by the bathroom door. She had decided to find out what was bothering him. Something was obviously bothering him. Alec silently crept out of the bathroom looking left and right. She followed behind him. "You got some fast feet, Alec," she said.

Alec turned quickly turned around. "I- oh, it's just you."

"'Hi' to you too," she chuckled. "You look terrible."

"Oh," he laughed back. "Thanks."

"No, I mean… Are you okay? You ran out of there pretty fast," Casey said with as much concern in her voice as she could.

"You have no idea."

She nudged him. "So… what was your time?"

"It was like four something."

"Wow," she said, impressed. "That's fast."

Alec smiled. He put his arm around her. Casey let him. "Oh, I'm a lot faster than that."

Casey laughed. She gave him a hug. "I gotta go back to practice. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Oh, well, I am now."

"Aw, that's sweet," She said. She gave him another hug. "I'll see you later."

"Oh wait," Alec said. "Are you going to the track meet?"

Casey thought about it. She gave him a sweet look and then smiled. "Yeah, I'll be there rooting for the fastest man alive."

* * *

Casey walked down the street and called for a taxi. After a minimal wait, one stopped and she got in. Her bags were placed on the seat next to her. After telling the cab driver where she wanted, she laid her head back. The smooth car ride helped with her rest. She had planned to go to Alec's track meet and she wanted to be there.

The car ride was short. She paid the driver and got out. Casey walked to the elevator of the apartment and pressed the fourth button. The elevator slowly traveled up the building. The metal doors opened and she walked down to the room. Number 41.

Casey opened the door. Her mother was sitting on the couch. Casey dropped her bags and went over to the lounge chair. Her mother smiled up at her. Casey looked back with inquiry. "What?"

"Guess who has two tickets to the Logan concert tonight?"

Casey sat up. "No way! You?"

Her mother happily nodded her head up and down vigorously. "They came in the mail before you got home."

Casey grabbed the tickets out of her mother's hands and examined them. All previous thoughts about going to Alec's track meet were lost. "I don't know what to say. What's the occasion?"

Her mother feigned offense. "Do I need a reason to spoil my favorite daughter?"

Casey hugged her mother as hard as she could. "Thank you!"

"Now get ready, we leave in an hour."

She took off towards her room to get ready.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review.


	3. David Donner

(David Donner – New York City, New York – 5:30 AM)

**_Ert! Ert! Ert!_**

He opened his eyes and slammed his hand on the noisy machine. David turned over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. Slowly, his eyes moved across the room and down to his sleeping wife. A smile took over his face. He looked back at the clock. It read five thirty. He rubbed the rest of the sleep out of his eyes and got out of bed.

David went over to his bed post and put on his black running windbreakers. Next to the windbreakers was his New York Giants hooded sweater. David grabbed it and put it on. After putting on his shoes, he left the apartment complex. On the way, David saw a few people he knew. There was the wealthy business man who always had somewhere to go. The security guard who never seemed to have a break. And a few others. He silently nodded his head to them as they nodded theirs, and went for the door marked 'stairs'.

The stair case was empty like it was every morning. David ran down. Each footstep echoed in the hollow stair case. Quickly, all three stories of the building passed beneath him and he went outside. From there, David went on his daily jog around the block.

David Donner was a thirty four year old photographer. He worked with newspapers, magazines, musical groups, and weddings... basically anything that needed someone to take a picture. Not the most stable job a person could have, but he worked whenever he could. Since he was good at making connections, he knew a lot of people who could get him consistent work. Many people knew him too. They knew him as 'The Machine', mainly because of his work ethic. "Get things done however you can," was his motto, and he always got the shot he needed. David had short brown hair that always seemed to be messy. He had dark skin and a strong body. David worked out everyday and his body reflected that.

The city was nearly empty. A few pedestrians walked on the sidewalks or across the streets. A few cars passed here or there, but not equal to the traffic that would soon fill the busy city. David ran at a regular pace. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. He looked up at the darkened sky. The sun would be up soon.

He turned a corner and made his way down the next street. To his left was the city zoo. He had gone there many times with his wife, always examining the animals that he liked the most. A janitor gently sweeping some leaves off of the concrete steps looked up and waved politely to the running man. David smiled and waved back.

Soon he made it to the gym. The Strong Guy Gym. Every time David read that sign, he inwardly laughed. He thought that it was a ridiculous name, but it had the best work out spot in that part of the city. Not only that, but it was open twenty-four hours of the day. David pushed open the door and walked in.

He was greeted by Sandra, the lady receptionist. "Hey, David. How are you this morning?"

"Hi, Sandra," he greeted her. "I'm doing good. Busy night?"

She smiled. "Nah. You're the first person to come in since eleven."

"Oh, that sucks. Didn't your shift start about an hour ago?" he asked as he walked to the weight lifting room.

"It does. Robert, the guy who does the shift before me, said that it was slow before I came."

David chuckled and waved to her before going into the room. Inside the weight lifting room was every sort of equipment probably known to man. David went over to the punching bag. He placed his hands into the gloves and began striking it, each hit harder than the next.

After about three minutes of the constant barrage of punches, David went over to bench-press. His eyes scanned over the different weights he could put on the bar. "Well," he said to himself with a grin. "I've gone up to 350. So… "He trailed off and began to place more plates on to the ends of the bar.

David placed the right amount of weight on each end of the long metal pole and laid down the bench. His palms wrapped around the metal rod. There was a pause of hesitancy. He slowly breathed in and out before pushing up. The bar came up and down. David breathed in and breathed out. In his head he was counting each repetition.

His eyes left the bar in front of his face and over to the doorway, where Sandra stood. He quickly put the bar back on the rack and sat up. "Uh, may I help you?"

"How many reps did you do?"

"Twenty."

"How much weight did you put?"

"One twenty," he lied again.

David quickly stood up and began to take of the weights. Sandra walked over to him and stopped. "Let me do it, I'm really bored."

He nodded and looked at his watch. "Wow, I gotta get going. See ya later," he said as he ran out of the room.

Sandra waved and looked at the bar. Silently she counted the amount of weight that was put on. Her eyes became wide. "He was lifting over nine-hundred pounds!"

* * *

David got dressed as fast as he could. He kissed his sleeping wife on the cheek. "Your V.I.P pass is on the table. I'll see you at the concert."

She mumbled what sounded like, "I love you," before drifting back off into sleep.

David ran out of the building as fast as he could. In his hand was his photography bag. More cars were on the road now, taxis and otherwise. There were even more pedestrians trying to get where they needed to go. David was one of them. He saw a taxi coming slowly ahead. He put up his hand to draw its attention. The loud roar of jet engines caused David to look up.

"I hope that's not him," he said to himself. He raised his hand again. "Taxi!"

As he did, he bumped into another person. David looked back to apologize.

"Jerk," the young man said.

David grunted in annoyance. "I don't have time for this." He opened the door to the yellow car and jumped in. "New York Airport," he ordered as the taxi took off.

* * *

The airport was alive with the hustle and bustle of any airport. People ran to their gates while others waited for theirs to open. Planes lifted off into air. Others landed to bring its passengers to the city. David waited with his camera in hand for a specific jet to land.

The trolley bus driver, who had taken David to the spot of landing, tapped him on the shoulder. He was an older gentleman with graying hair. "So, uh, who are you waiting for?"

His eyes scanned the various landing jets for the one he was looking for. "Um, I'm waiting for Logan."

"Who's that?"

"It's a band. I'm going to be their official photographer for the day because their regular guy got sick with the flu or something."

"A band named Logan?" the older man said in disbelief. "What happened to regular names like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?"

David laughed, "It's 2006. There's bands called Brand New and Death Cab for Cutie now."

The man laughed and shook his head in amazement.

David's eyes caught the jet he was looking for. "That's them," he said out loud. David began walking over to the slowly taxing jet. The small plane came to a stop and an attendant opened the door. Two young men walked out. David nodded his head in greeting. "Hello there. My name is David Donner. I'll be your photographer today."

The first young man nodded. "Cool, a new photographer. What happened to Tomas? I heard he was ill?"

"Yeah. A flu or something."

The second band member looked at the first. "George, take your sticks."

George took the two wooden instruments out of the second's hands. "Thanks, Zac. You got your keyboard?"

Zac sighed and shook his head. "For the last time: it's a freakin' digital piano. And yes, I do have it. Those people over there are taking it to the concert place for me."

George laughed and patted his friend on the back. All the while David took candid pictures of the two. His finger constantly pressed the button to take make the camera go 'click.'

The third and final member of the band stepped out of the jet and walked down to the three individuals. With a leather jacket and slim pants, he was the image of any rock star front man. He walked up to his two band members and put both arms around their shoulders. "Take a good pic, dude. I want this one to be on the cover."

He put his thumbs up and smiled. David pressed down and took the picture.

David put his camera down and stuck out his hand. "Hi. David Donner. I'll be your photographer for the day."

"Nice to meet you, David. My name is Wayne. This is my drummer, George, and here is my awesome pianist, Zac."

David politely smiled and nodded his head. "I know who you are. You're only the hottest band in the world right now."

Wayne shrugged modestly. "If you say so."

The four people walked to the trolley bus that was waiting for them. As the band got into the vehicle, David took a few more shots. He put the cap on the front and placed it into the bag before joining them. With a command by the band, the trolley bus took off.

* * *

David stood in front of the stage with his camera in front of his face. Logan performed their best. It had a magnificent light show of exuberant colors. It seemed as if the lights exploded from Wayne's fingertips as the band made the crowd cheer for more after every song. Click after click, the photographer took his share of pictures of their performance.

Slowly he made his way backstage to put another roll of film in the camera. He walked up the stairs and went behind the curtains that led to the backstage.

A large man wearing a tight blue shirt stopped him short. "May I help you?"

David pulled his V.I.P pass out of his pocket. "I'm the photographer."

The security guard nodded his head and allowed him to pass. David went to the couch that was backstage and found his bag. He rummaged around for an extra roll of film but could not find any. He sighed and silently cursed to himself. "I thought I had more film."

His wife tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and smiled. "Hey, Jess. Enjoying the show?"

"I am, Babe, but I'm enjoying the backstage pass even more," she happily waved the plastic card on a string back and forth. She looked around at the other stage hands. "I can't believe I'm backstage. You do this all of the time?"

David smiled and held his wife in his arms. "Only sometimes. Besides, I thought I'd take you some special for our anniversary. It's not everyday someone gets to go backstage and meet the hottest band in the entire world."

Jessica opened her mouth in shock. "I'll get to meet some rock stars? You shouldn't have, David, I'm… wait, you remembered our anniversary?"

David twisted his lips in a fake annoyance. "Of course I remembered. You think I would forget the anniversary to the most important day of my life?"

She kissed him. "I am so lucky that I have you."

He kissed her back. "You _are_ so lucky that you-"

David stopped short of his sentence. He looked around. An alarm erupted in his head. He held the side of his temple, letting go of his wife. Slowly, he walked around backstage trying to figure out what was happening.

"What's wrong, David?"

He squinted his eyes and held his head. "You don't feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Something's wrong. Something's… very wrong."

The alarm persisted like a warning of impending doom. He peaked his head out from behind the curtain and looked as the band ended their song. The alarm became stronger. He kept his fingers up to his temple and watched.

Wayne grabbed the microphone. "This is our last song everybody."

The crowd voiced their sadnesst.

"It's okay, it's okay," he began, "'cause this next song is dedicated to all of you. Every single one of you out there in the audience. Our faithful fan base. Without you we wouldn't be a band and we thank you." He took a bow.

David noticed a man walking up the stairs to the stage. The alarm honed in on the person walking up. He looked closer and realized that the man had a gun. "Wayne!" David yelled out. "He's got a gun!"

Wayne did not hear him.

Jessica walked up behind him. "What's going on, David?"

He ran on stage. "Wayne! He's got a gun!"

Wayne turned around and looked at his photographer run up to him. David waved his hands in warning. Wayne turned around. The man with the gun was walking towards him.

David watched as the man raised his hand to shoot. David grabbed the rock star by his shirt and covered him with his body.

A gun shot rang throughout the concert hall.

Chaos ensued.

David looked up and saw a woman next to the man with a gun. She looked at him and ran off along with all of the audience. David got up to pursue her. A blinding light erupted on the stage and he stopped in his tracks. The sound of an explosion.

David fell to the ground. He still could not see anything.

"David help me!"

He heard the sound of his wife in pain and ran blindly towards it.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review.


	4. Jessica Donner

(Jessica Donner – New York City, New York – 5:30 AM)

**_Ert! Ert! Ert!_**

Jessica stirred in her sleep. She gently turned over as she felt her husband slam his hand onto the noisy alarm clock. Even though she was awake, she kept her eyes closed and listened to the sounds of the early morning. Her husband got out of bed and grabbed his daily running attire. As he left the room, she silently drifted back to sleep.

* * *

The soft kiss of her husband awoke her again. She snuggled deeper into her warm covers as he said, "Your V.I.P pass is on the table. I'll see you at the concert."

As he left, she let out a soft, "I love you."

The door closed and she was left in the room all by herself. Her head slightly rubbed against the soft pillow beneath her head. She kept her eyes closed but she could no longer sleep. Jessica turned over to her right side and tried to fall back into slumber... but with no avail. Finally, after much tossing and turning, she sat up.

Her eyes went to the clock. She let out a large sigh. "I better get ready for work then if I can't go to back to sleep."

Jessica Donner was a thirty year old nurse at the Community Hospital in New York City. It was a well paying job that had good hours, something she often said was 'nothing to complain about'. Jessica was the type of person that wouldn't complain about much. She wanted to do what was best for everyone. Rarely would she raise her voice in anger, but on occasion, she could get plenty mad. She also loved her husband very much. It was like any other marriage, with the ups and downs and the arguments, but they always made up in the end. If there was one thing that she could say with certainty, was the she loved her husband.

Jessica Donner slowly got out of bed. A yawn made its way out and she put her hand politely in front of her mouth to cover it. Her feet took her to the window. Light flew in as the shades were pulled up. The now dark bedroom was filled with sunlight, giving everything a full awake feeling. The sun had risen into the sky and said 'hello.'

On a table to her right was a little flower. Jessica had always wanted a garden, but since they lived in the city, there was nowhere to cultivate one. The plant was her compromise. It was slowly fading away, however. Patches of brown on the healthy green had slowly been popping up.

Jessica went to the flower and touched the petals. "Why are you dying?" she said to it. The rim filled with water as she poured some into the pot. Little by little, the liquid sunk deeper into the soil. Jessica touched the leaf again. "I wish I could make you better."

As she left to take a shower, the flower petal slowly began to turn from dying brown, to a lively, healthy green.

* * *

Jessica walked through the sliding double doors into the Hospital. A friendly receptionist was behind a tall desk. Jessica waved at her and went to the elevators. She pressed the button to go up. Just as she had pressed it, the ding of the elevator sounded, telling her that there was an elevator on the way. The doors slid open, and a friendly face greeted her.

"Hey, Jess," said the friendly face.

"Hi, Tiffany," Jessica said. She stepped into the elevator and the doors closed behind her.

"So..." Tiffany began. "How are you doing?"

Jessica moved the lock of brown hair out of her eyes. "I'm doing okay. I'm a little late because of some traffic. It was really bad today."

"Well, that's too bad. I came early so I guess I just missed the traffic."

"Guess you did," Jessica stated.

The elevator came to a halt and the double doors opened. Jessica and Tiffany walked out. Jessica began taking off her light jacket. "Well, I'm hoping today is an easy day."

"Oh?" Tiffany asked. "Got something planned?"

Jessica smiled. "Yeah. It's David and my anniversary tonight."

"Really? Congratulations. Where's he taking you?"

"This morning he told me that my V.I.P pass was on the table and that he'd meet me at the concert."

"A concert?"

Jessica laughed. "I know, romantic right?"

"Yeah… maybe it's a ploy. Like maybe he wants you to think it's a concert, but he's really taking you to an expensive restaurant."

"Well, "Jessica said, "I checked and it was a legitimate V.I.P pass to the Logan concert tonight. I mean, he does go to concerts sometimes to take pictures for bands."

Tiffany shrugged. "I don't think that's all he's gonna do though. If you ask me, I think he has something more planned. But that's just me."

Jessica nodded. "I think you're right."

She opened the door to the changing room so that she could change into her scrubs. Tiffany waved good-bye and headed off towards the end of the hall. Jessica walked inside and quickly changed. With her scrubs on, she went to go meet her first patient.

"Who's my first patient, Doctor Childers?" she asked.

Doctor Childers looked at a folder and handed it to her. "This is Tomas Perez. He says that he has the flu. Do the regulars, and I'll be in soon."

"Okay," she responded.

Jessica looked over the folder before walking to the waiting room. She opened the door. "Tomas Perez?"

A tall Hispanic man looked up. He put the magazine that he was reading down and walked over to her. He smiled and opened his hand for a greeting. "Hello, there."

Jessica took the handshake. "Hello. Please follow me."

Jessica walked over to a weight scale and a height measurer, and took the man's measures. She walked over to a room marked 'Rm. 2' and opened the door. Tomas walked in and took a seat. Jessica opened her folder and began asking the routine questions. After a quick assessment, she politely excused herself and told him that the doctor would be in soon.

"I think this _is_ going to be an easy day," she said with a smile.

* * *

The concert hall was beginning to get full. People were already sitting in their seats and impatiently waiting for the opening band to finish their set. Jessica peaked her head out from behind the curtain and looked out at the audience. It was very packed.

She turned around to see a security guard standing by. It was an opportunity to use the pass, since no one had made her use it coming backstage. She crept around behind him and held the pass in her hand. "Um, excuse me, sir."

The security guard turned around, he eyed the woman. "Yes?"

"I got this pass from my husband… and I don't know what to do with it," she said in her most innocent voice.

The security guard sighed. "That gives you an all access pass backstage."

She made her eyes wide. "All access?"

"Yes."

Jessica walked pass the security guard and laughed. She had never been backstage before, but she knew what it was all about. It was just some fun to joke around with the security guard. Jessica held the card that was attached to a string in her hand.

She made her way to the backstage rooms and walked to the door marked 'Logan.' First she knocked. There was no answer. Flashing lights were undeniably coming from the room. She knocked again. The flashes stopped and the door opened up.

A young man wearing a leather jacket answered. "May I help you?"

Jessica smiled. "Hi, my name is Jessica Donner." She held up the V.I.P pass, "And I have a pass, so I can come back here right?"

The young man nodded. "Sure. You wanna meet the band?"

"Of course!"

* * *

Jessica nodded her head to the music. The concert had begun a while back and she actually enjoyed it. In her mind, the music wasn't half bad. The paper cup of water that was in her hands crumpled up as she finished the last drop. She looked around and saw her husband searching through his camera bag on the couch. She walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around and smiled. "Hey, Jess. Enjoying the show?"

"I am, Babe, but I'm enjoying the backstage pass even more," she happily waved the plastic card on a string back and forth. She looked around at the other stage hands. "I can't believe I'm backstage. You do this all of the time?"

David smiled and held his wife in his arms. "Only sometimes. Besides, I thought I'd take you some special for our anniversary. It's not everyday someone gets to go backstage and meet the hottest band in the entire world."

Jessica opened her mouth in shock. She couldn't let her husband know that she had already figured out the surprise prior. She let him hear what he wanted to hear. "I'll get to meet some rock stars? You shouldn't have, David, I'm… wait, you remembered our anniversary?"

David twisted his lips in a fake annoyance. "Of course I remembered. You think I would forget the anniversary to the most important day of my life?"

She kissed him. "I am so lucky that I have you."

He kissed her back. "You _are_ so lucky that you-"

David stopped short of his sentence. He looked around. He held the side of his temple, letting go of his wife. Slowly he walked around backstage, looking back and forth.

"What's wrong, David?" She asked.

"You don't feel that?"

She tried to understand what was happening. "Feel what?"

"Something's wrong. Something's… very wrong."

Jessica watched her husband walk closer to the curtain that led to the stage. He peered over to the other side.

Wayne grabbed the microphone. "This is our last song everybody."

The crowd voiced their discrepancies to his statement.

"It's okay, it's okay," he began, "'cause this next song is dedicated to all of you. Every single one of you out there in the audience. Our faithful fan base. Without you we wouldn't be a band and we thank you." He took a bow.

Jessica followed after him. He was yelling something to Wayne, the lead singer of the band. She walked up behind him.

"What's going on, David?"

David ran on stage. "Wayne! He's got a gun!"

Wayne turned around. David waved his hands frantically in the air. Jessica looked on stage and noticed a man walking towards Wayne with a gun. She watched as her husband tried to save him. David grabbed the rock star by his shirt and covered him with his body.

A gun shot rang throughout the concert hall.

Chaos ensued.

Jessica fell on her hands and knees. She covered her head. "That man has a gun! That man has a gun!" She yelled towards the people backstage. She looked up and saw a woman, who wasn't there before, standing next to the gun carrier. David got up to pursue her. A blinding light erupted on the stage Jessica was blinded. There was a sound of an explosion. And then only pain.

* * *

Jessica opened her eyes to the sound of a heart monitor. The steady, constant beeping. She tried to move but her body ached. Her arms were sore and her stomach was hurting. Her chest heavily moved back and forth as her breathing was hard. Jessica opened her mouth to speak.

"Nurse…" she said in a hoarse voice. There was no answer. Jessica strained to get her words out. "Nurse!"

The door to the room opened, but she could not see the person who opened it. There was something on her face restricting her eye sight. Finally, the Nurse came into her line of vision. "Yes, Mrs. Donner? Is the pain medication wearing off?"

"Why can't I see? What's this thing on my face?"

The Nurse had sadness in her voice. "Oh. Um… I'm really sorry."

"Sorry?" Jessica said frantically building up anxiety. She coughed. "Why are you sorry? What's wrong?"

The Nurse slowly began pulling the pieces of cloth off of her head. In circular motions, Jessica slowly felt the bandages coming off. As each strand of fabric was lifted from her skin, Jessica became more and more anxious of what was to come. After a long wait, the Nurse finished. Jessica looked around. The Nurse brought a mirror. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Donner," she said again.

Jessica grabbed hold of the mirror and looked into it.

"I- I- I'm…"

She saw her horribly burned and disfigured face.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review.


	5. Dawn Freeman

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York – 5:30 AM)

_**Ert! Ert! Ert!**_

Men in white coats scrambled to the distress signal. Commotion erupted everywhere. Bodies charged down the hallways from every direction. The alarm sounded again. To all who were running to the warning knew what it meant. It meant that an inmate was trying to escape from the cell. It meant that there was going to be a struggle.

A man ran though the white halls down to the room. He wanted to get to her before anybody else. This man wanted to make sure that she cooperated. He turned a corner and there she was. The inmate who was escaping. He calmly put his hands up in front to show that he meant her no harm. "Dawn, please, go back inside the room."

Dawn Freeman stood at the end of the hallway with her guard's riot stick in hand. The guard was on the floor, leaning against the wall, unconscious. She looked at the man before her. "I don't want to go back, Nelson! You all think I'm crazy, but I'm not! There really are people reading about me right now!"

Nelson slowly walked to her. He tried to create a presence of comfortableness. "Dawn, I know you're not crazy. I know. But we need you to be calm right now. We need you to go back to your room."

She didn't believe him. "How can I trust you?"

"Dawn, you know me. Please, you have to go back."

Her grip on the riot stick loosened. Her eyes went down to the fallen security guard. She attacked him because he was trying to stop her from escaping. Dawn looked back at Nelson. She looked at his face. There was no reason for her to not trust him.

With a sigh, she dropped the weapon. Nelson cautiously bent down and picked it up. The low ringing of the break out alarm continued. Dawn gave the man a smile. He smiled back.

Suddenly, a flood of men in white coats ran into the hallway. They were more menacing than Nelson. They weren't there to make her calm. They wanted to harm her. She looked at Nelson's face as they passed him to get to her. A man tried to grab her arm, but the angry woman threw him into the wall. "You lied to me! You lied to me!"

Nelson sadly put his head down and walked away. More men were coming to grab her. She tried to fight, but they overwhelmed her. Dawn continued to yell at the person who had betrayed her. The person who had lied to her. Hands grabbed her arms and her legs. She tried to kick free, but she couldn't.

An older gentleman with a syringe walked up to her. Dawn began to yell in fright. A hand covered her mouth. She tried to bite the hand covering her mouth, but could not. The older gentleman kneeled down and stuck the sharp needle into her leg. Dawn screamed in pain. Her body tried to fight the medicine that had been injected into her. Soon, however, her body began to grow limp.

The older gentleman shook his head in disappointment. "And we doing so well, Dawn. We were doing so well."

She cursed at him before blacking out.

* * *

Dawn opened her eyes. She was met with the familiar white padding of her room. This had been her home for the last six years. White, padded walls and floors had become her place of rest. Everyday she awoke to the same, monotonous white. She strangely hated the white that covered every inch of area in her vicinity. She despised it. She wanted to escape it.

Slowly, she brought herself to a sitting position. Her breathing was slow and concentrated. The pain in her leg remained from the needle, but it was tolerable. Dawn looked at the large glass mirror at the very front of her room. Her reflection stared back. She looked around, at particularly no one, and shuddered.

"I know you're reading about me," she silently whispered. She looked at the ceiling. "You're reading about me right now, aren't you? I'm in a story and you're reading about me in this godforsaken building they call an asylum. Aren't you? Reading what I'm saying right now." She paused and smirked. "Right now."

Her eyes went back to the large glass mirror. She stood up and walked towards it. Her feet sunk into the light padding of the floor. Dawn pressed her hand against the glass. She knew the doctors were on the other side inspecting her. They thought she was crazy. They thought she was losing her mind. "They're reading about me right now! I know it!" She yelled.

On the other side of the slab of glass, the doctors watched. Nelson shook his head. "She believes that people are reading about her life. She believes so much. It's sad."

"The mind is very delicate. Who knows why she believes it. She seems to only know it herself, although we know the truth. This alternate reality that Dawn has created about people reading about her life is strange," the older gentleman explained. "I can only hope that we can still help her."

Dawn slammed on the glass. Her hand pounded against the mirror and the wall shook. She let out all of her anger. All of her frustration. She yelled again. Claims against her insanity. There was no answer. The people on the other side of the mirrored wall watched. They watched her plea her case.

She fell onto the floor defeated. "I know I'm not crazy. I've been telling you for six years. I am not crazy." Her arms dragged her body to the corner of the wall. Her arms cradled her legs as she pressed her legs against her chest and gently rocked back and forth.

Silently. she said it over and over again. "I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy."

* * *

There was a tap at the door. It was soft, but just loud enough to make Dawn draw her attention to it. She stayed in the corner and waited for the person on the other side to walk through. The door opened. Nelson walked in, apprehensive. He had a plate of food in his hand.

Nelson gave a smile. "Hello, Dawn. How are you?"

"How can you ask me that?" she sneered. "Do you think I forgot what you did to me?"

"I'm really sorry about that, Dawn. You have to believe me."

She shook her head. "Six years I've known you. Six years you came into this room and gave me food. Six years we talked about awesome stuff and, on the day I decide to break out, you are the one to stab me in the back."

"I said I'm sorry, Dawn. It's not my job to be your friend."

The last words hung in the air. It sunk into Dawn's heart and stabbed it. She bit her lip in anger. Nelson stood with the plate of food still in hand. He walked up to her and placed it on the ground. His eyes looked at the quivering body in the corner. Without a word, he turned around to leave.

"What do you think they think of you now?" She asked suddenly.

Nelson stopped. "Who?"

"The people who are reading about me. What do you think they think of you now that you've betrayed me. I'm sure they don't like you anymore."

Nelson pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Dawn, we've been over this before: No one is reading about you. Your life is not a story that's being read by... by some people sitting at a computer desk."

Dawn stood up. Her bare feet stepped over the plate of food and over to the only man in the room. A mischievous smirk came across her face. All she could think of was her new found hatred of the only person she considered a friend. A strange feeling came over her. "Well, I don't know what they think of you, Nelson. But I know what I think of you. And I _don't_ like you."

She grabbed his wrist. Her eyes closed and her body disappeared.

The man stood alone in the room.

The head went back and forth over the empty space. Where her body once resided was only air. The eyes looked at the hands. They were not hers. The hands that she looked at were Nelson's hands. A smile went across her new face. She took a step towards the door and tapped on it twice. It opened.

"Everything go well, Nelson?" asked the man who opened the door.

Dawn looked at the person in wonderment. She was actually leaving her room undetected. The smile on her face became bigger as the door closed. The man asked the question again, bringing her back to her senses.

"What?" she asked.

"Did everything go well?"

Dawn grinned. "Actually no."

"What happened?"

"She disappeared."

The man's eyes became wider. "What? What do you mean she disappeared?" He opened the door and walked in. There was no one inside except for him.

Dawn walked away. The grin still on her face. "I don't know where she went."

The alarm began to ring once again. People stopped what they were doing and headed off in the direction of her room. Men in white coats ran past her new body, not even aware that the person they were looking for was right in front of them. Dawn watched the running people.

"What happened?"

Dawn turned around. It was the elder gentleman. She quickly readjusted the white coat on Nelson's body and cleared her throat. "I don't know to tell you the truth."

"How can you not know?"

"One second she was there, the next thing I know: poof! Gone."

He grunted with dissatisfaction. He left Dawn in the hallway to investigate further the mysterious disappearance of the inmate. Once again, the devious smile went across her face. She turned and walked towards the exit sign. Towards freedom.

* * *

The day had gone on to late afternoon. The sun had moved across the world in its daily arc, slowly making the day come to an end. Children and teenagers had left their school and were living the rest of the day. Other people had left their work, waiting for the next morning to start. Dawn walked along the streets in yet another body.

Dawn had effectively learned how to transfer her body and mind into another human being and completely control it. She didn't how it happened, and she didn't know why, but with power like that, she wasn't about to start complaining. She walked by a window and looked at the reflection. It wasn't herself that stared back. It was a stranger.

She looked up into the sky. Silently, she whispered to herself. "Well, if there are people reading about me right now, at least they won't know where I am. No one knows where I am…" She trailed off. A few lingering thoughts disappeared. "Oh well, even if they do know where I am, they'll sure have a lot to read about. I wonder what their thinking right now. I bet they're wondering how I'm doing what I'm doing. Aren't you? You're wondering what I'm going to do next." She said to the readers who read what she was thinking in her head.

The body that she inhabited walked down the street in no particular direction. Dawn never really had any family that she could speak of. They were either gone or she didn't know where they were. Even if she did know where they were, she wouldn't want to find them. In her mind, they weren't very nice people. So, she drifted aimlessly amongst the many people that lived in New York City. Her eyes passed by people's faces and store windows. She passed by the Deveaux Gallery and looked at the displayed pictures.

Suddenly, a person knocked into her. Dawn was shocked at first. The transference was unexpected. She turned around and watched the body she used to inhabit fall to the ground. A few people that were around her stopped to check if the person she used to inhabit was okay. With a quick breath to regain her composure, Dawn continued to walk.

The sounds of music approached her ears. Her eyes looked around at the various billboards and realized that there was a concert in progress. She walked closer and closer to the concert hall. Already, there were a lot of fans waiting to go inside.

Dawn tapped a man who was in line on the shoulder. "Has the concert already started?"

"Yeah, I wanna freakin' get in there already before the concert ends."

Dawn nodded her head. "Thanks."

Her hand shot out and grabbed his arm and she transferred into him. The body that she was in fell to the ground. Dawn looked down at it and moved forward in line. The person in front of her gave his ticket and walked through the rotating bars. Dawn reached out and touched him on the shoulder. Once again, the man she inhabited fell and she was in a new body. She readjusted the man's coat and walked on into the concert hall.

The band had a magnificent light show. Dawn whistled in awe as lights exploded in brilliant colors to the beat of the music. The lead singer sung his heart out and the lights seemed to tell the emotion along with his voice. Flashes here. Flashes there. Dawn pushed her way though the standing crowd and to the front.

She looked up at the lead singer. Her mind was actually enjoying the music. On her first day out of the Insane Asylum, she actually enjoyed it. Not only that, but it was free concert. She jumped into the air, back down to the rhythm of the drums and the piano. As she did something in her jacket pocket slammed into her side. She momentarily stopped jumping to inspect the object. Her hand reached in and felt the long metal barrel of a pistol. Her eyes got wide.

"Why would a person come to a concert with a gun? How did this person get through with a gun?" She said to herself. She looked up into the sky to speak to those that were reading the words of her life. "Do you know? Have you read something that I haven't?" Dawn gripped the handle and subtly looked around. "There must be a target here," softly she whispered.

Her other hand reached into the other jacket pocket. Fingers touched crumpled paper as she brought it out. Dawn quickly opened the paper and saw a picture. In the top right hand corner read _Wayne Timothy Rockwell – Objective: Terminate_. Her eyes went from the paper to the singer.

Dawn began pushing her way towards the stairs that lead to the stage. "Who am I to stop this man from fulfilling his objective?" She said to herself. She looked up again. "This is going to be very interesting for you, Readers. You're gonna like this. You're gonna like this ending."

Wayne grabbed the microphone. "This is our last song everybody."

The crowd voiced their sadness.

"It's okay, it's okay," he began, "'cause this next song is dedicated to all of you. Every single one of you out there in the audience. Our faithful fan base. Without you we wouldn't be a band and we thank you." He took a bow.

She silently crept up the stairs, unnoticed. It was amazing to her how occupied people could be. Dawn made her way up to the stage. She reached into the jacket pocket and pulled out the gun. Her eyes darted across the stage as a man came running out from behind the curtain yelling something she couldn't hear. She steadied her hand.

"You're gonna like this everybody," she said again.

The lead singer turned around and she pulled the trigger. The man grabbed the lead singer and used his body to cover him. Dawn's hand shook in shock. Her mouth hung open in amazement. The bullet was harmlessly on the floor, smashed upon the impact on the man's back.

She quickly realized that the gun was still in her hand. People ran out of the concert hall screaming. Their cries reached her ears. Her entire body shuddered. Dawn took a step back. "I need to get out of here."

She concentrated hard.

Her eyes closed. "I _want_ to get out of here!"

Dawn's body suddenly reestablished itself beside the man that she had taken over. Panic overtook her body and she ran away from the scene along with the rest of the audience.

A flash of light and an explosion.

"Whoa."

She touched the person in front of her and disappeared.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review.


	6. When You Hurt Inside

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The High School senior who can run at superhuman speeds and the photographer's wife who had a tragic accident at the concert. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER ONE "WHEN YOU HURT INSIDE"

"In this complicated world we live in, there are questions that drive us to know the truth. Questions that move us to seek it like buried treasure. When we finally find the answers we are searching for, do we leap for joy? Do we find happiness in what we were seeking? Questions drive us, but answers… answers take us in the direction we need to go." – Mohinder Suresh

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

The sun rose on yet another day. On the Saturday morning, New York City was alive. It was the beginning of something new. Something special. Alec Lions lay on his bed fully awake. In his hand was his cell phone. He spoke as softly as he could and yet, tried to be audible to the person on the other side without waking up his parents. He was talking with Casey Walker.

"Well now I know why you weren't at the track meet," he said.

"I'm so sorry, Alec. I really am. But you can understand why, right? I mean, my mom bought me Logan tickets," she said with delight. "She bought me Logan tickets," she said again to reinforce her point.

Alec smiled. "I know. It's okay. It was only the divisional track meet." There a tad of sarcasm in his voice. He looked out of his window and let the sun light stream into the room. "You'll just have to make it up to me somehow."

She laughed. "Don't worry, I will."

"You can get me…"

"Some flowers," she interrupted. "I'll get you a bouquet of flowers."

"Oh yeah, thanks."

"I'm just kidding," she laughed. "I'll get you something good. Don't worry."

Alec brought his free hand up to his forehead and ran his fingers through his soft hair. It was still messy with 'pillow hair.' After a brief pause, Alec said, "So how was the concert?"

She answered almost right away. "It was crazy… to say the least."

Alec readjusted his head on the pillow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Okay first of all, Logan is the best band ever. That's just a fact, so just being there was awesome in itself. But that wasn't even the crazy part. Someone tried to shoot Wayne on stage during their last song!"

"What?" Alec quickly sat up. The mattress jerked up and down and made a slight creaking noise. He quickly realized that his voice had risen and he cleared his throat. He whispered as loud as he could, "What?"

"You didn't watch the news last night? I'm pretty sure it was on the news... it had to have been on the news last night."

"No. Well, I don't know. After the track meet I went with the guys to celebrate and, after that, I went straight to bed."

"Oh, so you took divisional?" she asked.

"Yeah. And I got first place in every event." Alec smiled and looked over at his medals. They shined brilliantly in the morning sunlight. His hand touched the closest gold award. His thumb rubbed across its soft surface, over his name forever engraved in gold. But the smile went away as his fingers ran across the first place engraving.

"Congratulations!"

Alec quickly came back to the conversation. "Thanks."

A bird began chirping outside the window. Alec looked out the window. Shame and guilt were in his eyes. There was a moment of silence. Neither person said a word. The young man in the bed looked back at his medals and sighed. Alec cleared his throat. "Okay, so are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for the concern."

"I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Another pause. Alec could tell that the girl on the other line was smiling. He smiled too. Alec lay back onto his pillow and breathed out, "I mean it."

"I know."

"Are you sure _you_ don't want any flowers? A shooting can be pretty traumatic."

She laughed again. "I'm fine."

(Jessica Donner – New York City, New York)

She couldn't keep it in. She screamed in horror. The nurse nervously dropped the mirror into the woman's lap and slowly backed away. The screams of the woman slowly became sobs of sadness. Jessica let her fingers dangle to her sides. There was nothing else for her to do but cry.

"Mrs. Donner," the nurse began to say.

"Get out!" Jessica yelled in a confused sadness. "Get out!"

The nurse hurriedly turned around and opened he door to leave. She became more nervous as the woman's screams to leave became louder and more aggressive. She fumbled with the door handle until finally she got it open.

When the door opened David was standing there. He tried to come in as the scared nurse tried to get out. Jessica saw her husband through her teary eyes. Embarrassment enveloped her entire body. She covered her face with her hands and yelled, "No, wait, don't leave. Don't let him in!"

The nurse, confused, turned her head towards the woman. "What?"

"Don't let him in!"

"But you just said to-"

"Don't let him in!"

The nurse looked at David. He looked at his wife one last time before being pushed out of the doorway and into the hall. There was a click and the door was locked. A few nurses and doctors passed by the lone man in the hallway. David looked around, thoroughly perplexed by the entire situation.

He walked up to the object keeping him from his wife and pounded his fist against the wood. "Jessica! Let me in, please! Let me in!"

Inside the room, Jessica sat on her bed. She held the mirror in her hands and looked at her disfigured and flawed exterior. The nurse sat in the chair nearby, fretfully twiddling her thumbs back and forth. The sounds of David's pleas could be heard through the door.

The nurse apprehensively moved towards the door. "Um, should I open door?"

Jessica didn't reply. Her view was transfixed on the horrific picture in the glass. Her eyes moved back and forth across the face and her mind wondered what to do. The nurse asked again and went to open the door. Jessica's eyes shot across the room to the nurse. "Don't open the door."

"Why? Your husband is-"

"Don't open the door… please."

The nurse brought her hand away from the handle. She looked at the woman in the bed. The burnt woman looked sad and depressed. Slowly, the nurse moved closer.

Jessica sighed. "Thank you."

The pounding on the door persisted.

"Why don't you want to see your husband?"

Jessica looked into the mirror and began sobbing again. "I can't let him see me like this. I can't let him… look at me when I look like this."

The nurse sat down in the chair closest to the bed that Jessica was laying in. She smiled and tried to make the situation better. "It doesn't look _that_ bad."

The woman in the bed gave a cynical smile. "I know what you're trying to do, but… stop."

"Oh… sorry."

Jessica took the mirror and gave it back to the nurse. "I don't want to look at it anymore. Put it away."

The nurse took it and put it in a cupboard. The pounding on the door ceased and silence continued within the room. The nurse went back to the seat. Jessica's soft sniffles were the only sounds that could be heard echoing on the empty walls.

"If you don't mind me asking," started the nurse, "but do you want to talk about it?"

Jessica fell back into her pillow, the drying tears stinging her scalded flesh. "I don't even know your name."

"My name is Samantha. You can call me Sam if you want."

"All right, Sam, what do you want to talk about?"

"Um… how are you?"

Jessica once again gave the woman a cynical sneer.

"Right, stupid question."

Jessica placed her arms over her stomach. There was still pain the upper half of her body. She bit her lip as a surge of pain raced through her body like a hungry fire searching for oxygen. "Is my entire body burnt?" Jessica managed to let out.

Sam grabbed the chart from the foot of the bed and looked over the papers. "No, you only have a burns on your shoulder and stomach… and you're face."

Jessica grabbed the sheets of the bed. Anything to ease the pain. Her mind was on the burns on her stomach that ached her agonizing body. The white sheets clumped together like a little ball within her palm. Another surge of pain. Jessica let go of the sheets. She touched her stomach and silently wished for the pain to go away.

Suddenly, the pain was gone.

The nurse went back to her chair. "Are you okay? Do you need more morphine?"

Jessica was shocked that the pain had suddenly disappeared. "No, I'm…fine."

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

Alec Lions walked down the street of New York City in no particular direction. In the busy street, he walked with a cheerful expression on his face. It was a fine morning to be a young man. The sky was blue. The sun was shining. A soft wind blew his smooth, brown hair over his eyes. He gently brushed it aside and continued his stroll.

He looked around himself. A man was walking with his daughter. She was happily skipping on the sidewalk. A group of women with shopping bags walked by talking loudly. Alec smiled. He had something they didn't. They had no idea of his magnificent gift. His awesome power. Alec passed by the city zoo. The janitor was on his break, sitting on the steps with the broom leaning on his leg. He waved at the young man and Alec waved back.

Suddenly, his body went into overdrive. Alec sped down the street at incredible speed. Line after cracked line passed beneath his feet. The world seemed to freeze as his legs brought him farther and farther from the city zoo. He looked at the motionless pedestrians. Their faces were oblivious. Unaware that he was speeding past them. He laughed and came to a stop. Alec body went back to normal and so did the world. He brought his hand up to his brow to shield the sun from his eyes. The city zoo was out of sight.

"Wow," he said to himself.

A man walked by, disgruntled. Alec looked at him. Alec was so happy and the man was so unhappy. Alec couldn't help himself. He propped himself up against a traffic light. "What's wrong, dawg?"

The man pushed Alec out of the way. "Out of my way, punk!"

"Sheesh! Just trying to help," he said trying to keep in his laughter.

As the man passed on, Alec noticed a florist shop. The shop keeper was putting up a bouquet of flowers on the window sill for display. He walked up to the glass and looked at the beautifully arranged flora. The shop keeper looked up at the young man. He was short, plump, and balding. He gave a smile at Alec and left to attend to other duties.

Alec looked left. And then he looked right. No one was around. With a grin, he looked at the bouquet and sped away. The shop keeper trudged back to the window sill to add another bunch of flowers. He walked away without realizing that the first bouquet of flowers was missing.

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock_.

A slight knocking came to the door. Casey looked up from her homework. She stepped out of her room and walked down the hallway to the door. Feet over feet, she slowly made her way towards it. The knocking came again. Her hand grabbed the handle and opened it.

A quick gust of wind passed by.

There was no one to be seen. No person on the other side of the doorway. Casey stepped into the hallway of the apartment complex and checked the surrounding area. Still, no one could be found. Another strong breeze flew by as she came back into the public housing and back into her room.

There, on her bed, was a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She delicately picked them up and smelled the rose closet to her nose. It didn't matter where they had suddenly come from, they were the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. A card fell to the floor. Casey, with the bouquet cradled in one arm, picked up the fallen piece of paper. She opened it.

Inside it read _Just thought you'd like some flowers._

Casey laughed and shook her head. "Stupid Alec."

(Jessica Donner – New York City, New York)

Jessica lied on the bed. She had asked Sam to keep her company. The knocking of David had ended for some time and Jessica was glad that he had. The feeling of pain had slowly left her entire body. The ache in her chest, the pain in her stomach. It was gone. Jessica had lay in the bed wanting the pains to go away... and they did.

"The answers we seek can lead us to two paths. The one of joy, of happiness. Or the path of sorrow and sadness. We can choose which path to follow. But _we_ first have to ask the question. _We_ must take the first step before we can get the answers." - Mohinder Suresh

Jessica looked at Samantha. She was sleeping. Her body was curled up on the chair that she had been sitting on for the last couple of hours. Jessica slowly got up and out of her bed. The cool tile of the hospital room sent chills up and down her legs, but she moved to the bathroom despite it. The door opened and she walked in.

The mirror reflected her face. She couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

"Should I try it? Should I try…?"

Jessica brought her hands up to her face.

And closed her eyes.

* * *

Continued…

I would like to take this time to thank all of you who have been reading and reviewing: SeeEmDubya, Adriannrod Svit-Kona Sama, Inspector Brown, Jin-Soo, Griffbear, Booklover12, damien455, and for those who have Ordinary People on their Alert List: dainty, and Sakura123. So thank you and please continue reading. I'll try my best to reply to all of the Reviews, and I love feedback, so, keep it comin'.

Thanks for reading and please review!


	7. Hopes and Fears

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The photographer who saved the rock star's life and the High School Junior who can turn her body into water. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER TWO "HOPES AND FEARS"

"Why do we do it? Keep secrets. Hide who we really are inside. There is something extraordinary about knowing something that no one else does. But when something mysterious occurs, why do we go towards it? It's our human nature. We, as humans, can't help but look at God's creation and want to know the secrets it holds… Why hide who we truly are? Why keep secrets? Secrets are something of human nature." – Mohinder Suresh

(David Donner – New York City, New York)

The sun rose on yet another day. On the Saturday morning, New York City was alive. It was the beginning of something new. Something special. David sat on a chair, his hand palming the brow of his forehead. The hallway to the hospital was empty. Not a soul to occupy the empty space. The man sighed and leaned back into the chair.

"Why won't she let me in?" He asked himself.

Slowly, he stood up. His large structure waved back and forth over the tiled floor like a flowing tree in a hurricane. His mind churned over unanswered questions. His hand gently touched the door. The closed door. Once again he voiced his concern. David knocked on the door again and tried to get his wife to let him in, but there was no answer. Only a few muffled voices that were of no concern to him.

The distressed photographer sighed in disappointment. There didn't seem to be anything more he could do.

He looked down at his hands. "Or is there?"

Gripping the handle between in his hand, he began to squeeze. The handle creaked. It felt like tissue paper in his mighty palm.

"What's up, dude?" a voice asked from behind.

David let go of the handle. He turned around to see Wayne Rockwell, the rock star and lead singer of Logan. He nodded his head. "Um, nothing. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to know how you were doing… and how your wife is doing too."

David sat back down. "I don't know. I'm fine. But Jess… Jess won't let me see her, and… it's killing me, you know? If she's in pain I want to be there to ease it. To make it better. If I can't help her… what else am I here to do?"

"I can understand what you mean. But I'm not married so I don't know what _that _kind of love feels like." Wayne said as he went over to the door. "Um. Have you tried knocking?"

"Yeah… I've been at it for, like, two hours."

Wayne took a seat next to the photographer. "Dave… can I call you Dave?"

David shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, cool. Dave, if she wants to be left alone, let her be alone."

David chuckled and shook his head. "You really don't know what marriage is all about, do you?"

"It was a suggestion."

"Thanks, but, um, no thanks."

Wayne looked at the crestfallen man. His wife didn't want to see him when he wanted to see her. Something tragic has befallen the only person he loves, and she doesn't even want him around. He patted David on the back. "Well, I'm no expert or anything, but I think you need to get out of here and get a drink. Come on, I'll pay."

David looked up at the door. It did not stir. It did not move. He sighed. "Sure. I can go for a drink."

Two people made their way out of the hospital. Two people walked through the empty hallway. Two people walked away from the silent door.

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York)

She delicately placed the bouquet of flowers into a crystal vase of water. The ends of the roses gently fell to the bottom of the glass and hovered in the clear liquid. Casey could not hide the smile on her face as she placed the vase on her desk. The grin became wider when she glanced at the card. Gingerly, she placed it on the corkboard above her desk.

Her mind went back to her homework. She looked at the sheet in front of her. It stared back in silence. She read over the notes printed on the page while her fingers played with her pencil. Chemistry was definitely not her favorite subject.

"The freezing point of water blah, blah, blah… molecules vibrate farther and farther from each other to make yadda, yadda, yadda." She slammed her twiddling pencil on the table top. "Ugh! This is so boring!"

Casey grabbed the remote control to her stereo system and pointed at it. With a little beep the stereo came alive. She pressed a few buttons before the classical melody of Beethoven filled the walls of her room. She closed her eyes and rested her head on her hand. The melodic tunes drifted in and danced within her ears. With her eyelids closed, Casey gently rocked her right hand back and forth to the soft beat.

A soft swishing sound came to her ears.

She opened her eyes to see the water in the vase whoosh back and forth. There was no outside force pushing it, but the water steadily made its way to the top of the vase. Casey stopped moving her hand and the water complied. She leaned forward and peered through the glass. She inspected the sides. There was nothing.

"Strange," she said to herself.

The music continued on. Casey tried to rub the tiredness and boredom out of her eyes. With a restacking of her homework papers, she began reading again. Out of the usual habit of boredom, Casey began slowly moving her right hand back and forth with the music that floated into her mind. Once again, the water slowly gently rocked back and forth. The vase moved closer to the edge of the desk as each forceful push of the water slashed against its sides.

The young woman looked at the words. She knew what she was reading about, but she just didn't care. The words seemed to jumble up and make funny shapes. She smiled at her active imagination in action.

The vase crept closer and closer to the side of the table. It unexpectedly fell after another force of water pressed against it. Casey jumped up in fright and brought her hands up to try to catch the falling urn of flowers. The vase crashed upon the wooden floor and shattered into a million pieces. But the water hung in the air, suspended in nothingness.

Casey looked at the floating mass of water in surprise.

(David Donner – New York City, New York)

Wayne took a sip of his first drink. He hadn't really touched the mug since he got it. "David, I had another reason why I came to you at the hospital."

David's groggy nod told the rock star that he was listening.

"You don't have to answer me right away," Wayne continued, "but… I want to hire you as my body guard."

"A body guard? That's crazy."

"You saved me at the concert. The security guards didn't do anything, but you… you actually jumped in front-"

"I'll tell you one thing," David interrupted, in a half drunken state. "That concert you gave, you know the one that you gave? It was the best damn concert I've ever been too."

Wayne let out a little laugh. "Thanks, but back to what-"

"I just really… really wanted to tell you that, 'cause it was an awesome show."

"Thanks."

"It. Was. Awesome!"

"Thank you, Dave, you don't have to yell."

"Yell?" David looked around at the other people at the bar. "Am I yelling?"

Wayne grabbed the man by his shirt and turned him around. "Okay, I think you've had one too many drinks."

"Too many? More like one too little! Bartender! Another round!"

The bartender came up to the counter with another mug between his fingers, but Wayne shook his head. The bartender shrugged and left to help another costumer. The rock star dumped his drink into the sink on the other side of the counter. David drank the last drop of his mug before slamming it down on the bar. The cup shattered in his hand.

"Oops," he said with a chuckle. "Guess I don't know my own strength."

Wayne looked at David's hand. It wasn't cut open like it should have been. Where blood should have been pouring out was an uninjured palm. David drunkenly wiped the broken pieces of glass off of the countertop, laughing at nothing all the while. Wayne looked around at the people drinking at the bar. They did not see the unusual event that had transpired.

"David."

"What?"

"Your hand it… it isn't bleeding."

He looked at his hand.

Wayne grabbed him by the shoulders. "It is true. You can't get hurt."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night at the concert, you got shot by that guy who to kill me. I saw it. I saw the bullet. It was squished like a fly. It must have bounced right off of your back."

David realized what was happening. He unsuccessfully tried to change the subject. "I, uh… I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know what I saw. It looked like it hit a bulletproof vest. It was squished like this." He made a gesture with his thumb and index finger to illustrate the way the crushed bullet looked like. "But you weren't wearing a bulletproof vest, so… that means you're…"

"I think we need to go now," David didn't want Wayne to finish his sentence. He staggered towards the door.

Wayne cut in front of him and stopped him short of the exit. "Wait. This is exactly what I'm talking about. David, you saved my life because of your… ability. And that's the best reason why I need you to protect me. Someone out there wants to kill me. I don't know why. But you can make sure it doesn't happen."

David looked into his eyes. Thoughts flooded in. Questions rushed in from every direction. He pushed the rock star out of his way. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Angrily he pushed open the door and stormed out of the bar, leaving Wayne by himself.

The photographer walked down the street. The bright sunlight gave him a headache. He cursed at himself. "How could I have been so reckless? I can't let anybody know about me. It's too dangerous. But now…Wayne knows." More frustration filled him as more thoughts berated him. "Nothing good can come from this. No one can know. No one."

An unpleasant voice reached out. "What's wrong, dawg?"

David looked at the young man who had spoken the irritating words to him. David was drunk. He had a headache. His secret had just been uncovered. He didn't want to deal with such a nuisance. David pushed him out of the way. "Out of my way, punk!"

"Sheesh. Just trying to help," the young man chuckled in response.

* * *

David ran down the empty hallway towards his wife's room. He had to try one more time to reestablish contact with her. As he approached, he noticed the crushed handle. With a deep breath, he grabbed it and pushed. The door swung open.

His wife sat on the chair near her bed. Tears fell from of her eyes. He looked around the room. The nurse was gone.

David walked up to her and kneeled down. "Jessica? Are you okay?"

She looked up. When she saw her husband a smile came across her face. "I'm fine."

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm happy, David… something… something has happened to me."

"What? What's happened?"

"I can't explain it, but… look at my face. Is it burnt? Is it… ugly?"

He shook his head. "No, you look fine. You look beautiful."

Another burst of tears. "I… I did it. I healed myself."

"How?"

"I can't explain it."

David looked down at the floor. Everything that was wrong with the world became serene. All of his fears and concerns disappeared. His wife was okay. He took her hand into his. After standing up, David gave his wife a loving hug. He kissed her forehead. He sighed. Something inside of him pushed him to tell the one he loved the truth. "Jess?"

She sniffled and wiped a tear from her delicate eye. "Yes?"

He looked over to the open door. His eyes examined the crushed metal that was the handle. His strength was his secret, but for some reason, he felt compelled to tell her. His arms let go of her body and he looked into her eyes. He sighed again. "I want to tell you something... No, I _need _to tell you something."

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York)

Casey shook her head. "What's wrong with me?"

Quickly, she stood up, knocking the chair backwards. Her mind raced with questions that could not be answered. Something unexplainable happened. She opened the door to leave, but she stopped. She turned and looked back at the mess on the floor.

Curiosity got the better of her.

Casey kneeled down and stuck her hand out above the puddle of water. She slowly exhaled. Her fingers twitched. The sensation that she had felt in the pool came back. The strange tingling. This time it was expected. Even a little bit welcomed. Casey brought her hand up. And slowly back down. Little ripples coursed throughout the puddle of water that lay on the wooden floor.

Casey closed her eyes. She knew what had happened before. She knew what she wanted to do. All that was needed was concentration. Her mind focused on the water. She could feel it. Her second arm slowly came above the clear liquid. Up and down her hands moved and more and more ripples flowed.

Slowly, the small body of water lifted up into the air, just beneath her moving hands. Casey opened her eyes. Once again she was astonished at the wondrous sight. She was controlling the water for reasons she couldn't even imagine.

Suddenly, fear gripped her like death itself. Her concentration lost. Her focus blurred. The water fell to the ground and splashed over the floor.

"It is also our human nature to fear what it doesn't know. Humans fear what they can't comprehend, what they can't understand. But if something is so incredibly amazing that we cannot comprehend its elegance, will we turn away in fear? Or will we embrace it? What is _our_ destiny?" – Mohinder Suresh

Casey backed up into the door, her eyes on the thousand diamonds of glass and the water it reflected. She looked up at the ceiling. "How is this happening?" She pleaded. "Why me? Why now?"

She slid off of the door and slowly down to the wooden floorboards. Choked up tears crawled down her face.

* * *

Continued…

Now that we know a little more about the characters, and I know that a few have already done this, but I was wondering… who do you like the best? Who don't you like? And can you guess their powers?

Thanks for reading and please review!


	8. I Need A Place

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The High School Senior who has fully embraced his gift of speed uses it to help a friend. The photographer who was given an unlikely proposition reveals a secret to his wife. The High School Junior who can control water is uncertain about the reason of her abilities. The nurse who was burned in an accident finally realizes her amazing power. The mental patient who can control people's bodies runs from a crime scene with every place to hide. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER THREE "I NEED A PLACE"

"Humans need company. They live for it. For friendship. Companionship. Love. It's amazing and strange how we draw towards it. Or feel incomplete without it. These things are in our minds, our very souls, from the day we are born. Even from tiny infancy we want the attention of those around us." – Mohinder Suresh

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York)

Dawn Freeman stood on the edge of the Empire State Building. She looked over the vast landscape of the metropolis known as New York City. Her eyes watched as cars moved across the roads like tiny, insignificant ants. The tall, looming concrete giants looked like tiny pillars made of stone. She took the time to notice the people around her. Many were looking through the telescopes to enjoy the landscape as well. There were couples enjoying a date. Children with their parents seeing what the city looked like from a bird's eye view for the first time.

She looked down at her hands. The hands that were not hers. She stroked her long dark hair. The hair that was not hers. She was in a body that was not her own. With a quick glance to make sure no one was looking, Dawn left the body. It fell to the ground and she continued on without looking back.

Up on the top of the tall building, a strong gust of wind blew by. Dawn's hair flowed within the air's current. Even though she still wore her Insane Asylum Patient's Uniform, no one paid any attention to it. Slowly, she walked inspecting the people around her. After the incident at the concert, she had been thinking. Contemplating about people. About her power. About its meaning.

She stopped to lean against the wall. She sighed. "I wonder what everyone is thinking right now. What's their story? Are you wondering the same thing? I bet you're thinking what I'm thinking… but I won't tell you. I won't let you read my thoughts." She grinned as she spoke to the readers again.

An older gentleman walked by. She looked at the feeble old man. He looked happy. For what, Dawn did not know.

The sun was nearing the end of its shift, but there was still a lot of sun left to shine before it retired. From where Dawn was sitting, she could still see the vastness of the great metropolis. And, once again, her mind contemplated. Pondered. And Wondered.

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

The door to the apartment gently crept open. Alec carefully peeked his head through the open crack. The television was on and there was someone in front of it. He stepped through the doorway and closed it as quietly as he could. After checking to make sure no one heard him, Alec tip-toed to down the hallway to his bedroom.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Alec stopped just a few feet from the door. A long, irritated sigh slid through his teeth. "Darn!" He said with as much sarcasm he could muster. "I thought I _wasn't_ going to have to talk to you today."

The man on the lazy boy chair stood up, an empty bottle of beer in his left hand. "Where have you been?"

"Out."

The man asked again, this time for forcefully. "Where have you been, _Alec_?"

"I was running around town. Get off my case, Chris!"

"Don't talk back to me! I was worried about you."

Alec wasn't convinced. "Yeah, I'm sure you were. 'Cause you're _always_ worried about me. Oh, and I'm sure your three days of absence has a good excuse too."

Chris was a large man. Not a fat man, but a large, muscular man. His broad shoulders accentuated the thickness of his arms. And he had stomach the size of a keg. Chris was Alec's step-father. Alec did not like his him. And for good reasons too. Chris was an alcoholic and he had a problem controlling his anger. Two things that shouldn't be mixed together.

Chris stepped closer to his step-son with his arms outstretched.

Alec backed away. "Don't pretend like you care about me, Chris."

"Fine," he responded coldly. He pointed a finger and yelled, "Then I'll treat you like you deserve to be treated!"

A bottle flew through the air, but Alec could see it coming. Through his eyes, everything seemed to slow down. His amazing speed and quick reflexes allowed him to watch the bottle float towards him. It came so slowly for the young man. He grinned as the bottle of glass came closer. As it approached his head, Alec easily opened his hand and caught it.

The speed of the world went back to normal.

Alec shook the bottle in his hand. "You're throwing things at me now?"

His step-father laughed a hearty laugh. Slowly, he walked towards the High School Senior again, the alcohol taking an even greater affect. "You know… I saw your trophies and- and medals today. Very, very impressive. Too bad you're wasting that talent you got on- on sports! Instead of what you're _really_ supposed to be using your power for!"

Alec stood his ground.

"Now… as I recall… you did a job for me a few days ago. Am I correct?"

"I never did that job."

"That's bull, Alec! I know you stole the money and kept it for yourself."

"I didn't do that job! I'm not doing that crap for you anymore, Chris!"

Chris pointed a fat finger in Alec's face. "No, Alec. You're gonna do that crap for me until I'm old and rich. Understand!"

Alec stared into the eyes of the man he hated. Emotions began boiling up in his body like hot lava sputtering from a volcano. He closed his hand into a fist and clenched his teeth. All he felt was hatred. All he felt was anger.

"Do you understand?" Chris yelled again.

"No."

Chris was taken aback by the sudden stand he was taking. Chris' eyes looked over Alec's face, searching for a sign that he was bluffing, but he could not find any, nothing visual to show that the young person before him pretending.

Chris shook his head. "No? You don't say 'no' to me."

Alec swallowed nervously.

Chris got angrier. "No one says no to _me_!"

Chris swung his arm and punched the unsuspecting man in the face. Alec fell back into the wall. Two more fists slammed into his face. And then another. Alec was caught off guard and he took every punch. All two-hundred and thirty pounds of it.

Alec kneeled on the ground. He felt his mouth and looked at his blood stained fingers. Chris stood over his step-son, his hand up to his ear ready for another strike. Alec looked up. Their eyes met.

It was the window of opportunity.

Alec quickly got up, driving his fist into Chris' stomach, doubling him over. He swung again and punched him in the face. Chris staggered backwards. Alec moved forward. The old man fell back against the television set. He held his stomach, attempting to regain the wind he had lost.

Alec held his hand. He didn't know how much punching someone hurt, but he pushed through it. His hatred over-powered the pain. Immediately, his body sped up. He yelled in anger and frustration. He delivered a fury of fists to his step-father's stomach and face. He was blind with rage. Fist hit flesh. Over. And Over. And over again. Chris didn't scream. He couldn't. His mouth was too swollen, too full of blood to emit any cry of pain.

He fell to the ground.

Alec stood over the beaten body, heavily breathing in and out.

He had made his point. He was no longer going to be used. With a final nod, Alec turned and walked away. "I should have done this a long time ago. I'm leaving, Chris. And I'm not coming back."

Chris tried to say something but all that emerged was more blood. There was an agonizing pain in his left temple and more throbbed in his stomach. The last thing he remembered was the back of High School Senior as he closed the door .

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York)

The door to the apartment opened with a kick. A woman fumbled in with some grocery bags as her son walked through with one of his own. The two went into the kitchen area to dispose of their heavy burdens. The little boy put his small bag on the table. After rummaging through its contents, he grabbed two particular items and jumped onto the couch.

She placed her bags near the boy's and called out to her daughter. "Casey, can you help with the groceries?"

The little boy held two action figures above his head. One was a tall, heroic figurine. The six inch action figure was draped in blue and red, with a 'S' shield on his chest. This was the Hero. The other was a grotesque, evil toy. The six inch figure had ugly dark green skin with gruesome bone spikes protruding from its hide. Doomsday. The Villain.

Casey opened her door. Her hands were dripping wet. Quickly, she wiped the water on her jeans. She put a smile on her face and walked down to towards her mother. As calm and collected as possible, Casey showed the skin of her teeth. Her brother made the sounds of punching and yelling as The Hero and The Villain fought to the bitter end. She continued past him and accompanied her mother to fetch the rest of the groceries.

"You got him more toys, Mom?" Casey asked. "He doesn't need more toys."

"Well," her mother began, "he has been doing very well at school. Have you seen his latest report card? He got four A's and two C's. That's very good for him."

"He's in second grade, Mom-"

"He needs to know that getting good grades is something that makes us happy."

Casey shrugged and shook her head. "Well, I still think that he doesn't need more toys."

"_I think_ we should take the stairs. You know, to keep our figures."

Casey forced a laugh as they headed down to the door marked: Stairs.

After descending the stairs to the car, Casey and her mother made their way back up with the rest of the bags of food. Her mother had continued, through out the entire outing to the car and back, about various things ranging from the events of her morning to latest update on Gray's Anatomy.

All the while Casey remained silent. She did not want to talk about _her_ morning. She did not want to talk about what _she_ could do. It was something that she could not come to grips with. The strangeness of her ability. It was not a gift to her. It was something that she did not want. And every time she felt pleasure and excitement from the mystery of it all, she inwardly felt guilty. It showed in her eyes.

With a nod and a smile, she completed her façade with silence.

(David and Jessica Donner – New York City, New York)

The door to the apartment gently opened. Jessica walked through the doorway and into the small, but comfortable living room. Her facial expression was that of perplexity, of bewilderment. Her hand reached up and touched her face once more. Her lips went up at both ends into a smile. Her skin was healed. Her face was back to normal.

David came into the living room and closed the door. After locking it, he turned around and looked at his wife. She stood in the middle of the apartment, gently touching her face with her hand. He shook his head and ambled across the floor towards her. "You look beautiful."

Jessica turned around and blushed. "Thanks. I just… I still can't believe what's happening."

David wrapped his arms around his wife, still a little drunk from the alcoholic beverages from the afternoon. "I still can't believe you… you…um…"

"Are you drunk?"

He put his hand over his mouth and took a breath. After a sniff of the recycled air, he turned back to her. "Is it that noticeable?"

Jessica pushed David's arms off of her body. She backed away, arms gesturing freely to her sides to amplify how she felt. "David? I thought you were going to stop drinking. I mean, I'm in the hospital with a burned face and you're out drinking with your buddies?"

"Whoa, hey! What is with all of the yelling? Calm down."

"David," she said very demandingly.

He knew the tone of voice. The tone that told him that he had done something wrong besides the action that she was mad at him for in the first place. He didn't know what he did, but he had done something. He winced. "For the record, I didn't go drinking with my buddies. I went to cool off with Wayne."

"… the lead singer of Logan?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Well," David began, "when you wouldn't let me into the hospital room I thought you were mad at me for some reason. But I didn't remember doing anything to make you angry so… I thought that you didn't want to see _me_. You probably don't know this, but it's hard on me when you shut me out like that. You… you don't always do it. But when you do, I feel like you don't need me. And that's what husbands do. That's what men do. We fix things."

A smile slipped past her look of disappointment. "You were worried about me?"

"Yeah. And then Wayne came by to see how we were doing and I couldn't tell him because I didn't _know_ how you were doing, so he took me out for some drinks to help me cool off. I only drank-"

David couldn't finish his sentence. Jessica had unexpectedly leaned in and kissed him. He closed his eyes and let the woman he loved to show her affection. A few second passed by. She looked into his eyes. He looked back. There was no need for words at that moment. The kiss said more than words could have. Once again, David brought his hands around and held her in his arms.

Jessica rested her head on his chest as they rocked slowly together in the middle of the living room. "Just don't do it anymore…Okay?"

"Okay." David suddenly remembered something. He bit his bottom lip, deciding whether or not to tell her what he was thinking. After a quick thought, he closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. "Oh… um, Jess?"

"Yes?"

"When I was talking to Wayne… he, um… he asked me… to be his body guard."

"His body guard?"

"Yeah… he, uh… knows about my power too."

"But- wha…how?"

"I don't know. But somehow he knows and I'm going to take the job."

"No. No, you have to think about this."

"I have, Jess," he said. "He knows about me. He might even know about you."

"So?"

"Do you know what would happen if he told the world about us?"

"Wait… you think he's black mailing you?"

"I'm not positive, but I have to take his offer just to be safe. It's for our own protection, Jess. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want anything to happen to us." He looked into her eyes, conveying his loyalty, his determination. "I'm doing this for us."

She was speechless. She was torn emotionally about what had been said. Jessica slumped down onto the couch's arm rest and let the information work out in her mind.

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York)

Dawn Freeman stood on the edge of the Empire State Building. She looked over the vast landscape of the metropolis known as New York City. Her eyes watched as cars moved across the roads like tiny, insignificant insects. The tall, looming concrete giants looked like mere pillars made of sand. The day was becoming darker and the city was lighting up. People began leaving their spots and back to their respective homes.

_"When the mind does not receive the attention it deserves, though, it has only one place left to go…"_

Alec knocked on a door. It opened. The High School Senior smiled desperately. "Justin? Can I stay here for the night?"

* * *

Casey sat on the couch and watched her little brother play with his action figures. She looked down at her hand and shivered with uncertainty.

* * *

Jessica remained on the couch, her mind churning like a machine. All David could do was wait for her response.

* * *

And Dawn remained on the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the metropolis that lived beneath her.

_"Insanity." – Mohinder Suresh_

Dawn was alone on the rooftop. Empty. Vacant. Barren. Her body left the railings on the edge of the building and walked away. She had nowhere to go. She had no place to stay. A tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away. It fell to the concrete below her feet and dried up.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	9. Sarah White

(Sarah White – New York City, New York – 11:30 AM)

"How are you feeling?"

Sarah took a sip of her coffee, letting her words float in the air. The warm liquid slid down her throat and warmed her body. The person in front of her was Anne Lara, a fellow FBI Agent. Although they were in different departments, in different cities, they still made time out of their busy schedule to catch up with each other.

Anne shook her head. "I don't even know where to begin, Sarah."

"Is it that bad?"

"Oh yeah."

Sarah moved a stray hair out of her line of vision and blew on the top of the cup of coffee out of habit. "Tell me about it."

Sarah White was a twenty-six year old FBI Missing Person Unit Agent based in New York City. She was a strong, attractive young woman. Dirty blonde hair fell a little past shoulder length. Her eyes were like snow flakes. Blue. Soft. And unique. She had an average build for a woman who stayed regular in her work outs and had a pretty physique that could turn some heads. Since she was very young, Sarah wanted to help people. Choosing law enforcement as a career only made sense. But Sarah usually did things her way. And her superiors often noted that she never really followed the rules.

"It's all a little fresh, but after Josh left me, it's been hard to stay focused, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that. You two were together for, what, a year?"

"Eight months."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Anne twiddled her thumbs in circles. She looked at her fingers as she spoke. "Anything going on with you?"

Sarah took another sip. "Well, there's this case that the Missing Person Unit just can't figure out. Three people. Totally unrelated. Gone. In the span of the last month, these people have disappeared and we don't have a clue of what's going on."

"That sounds familiar."

"We're all really psyched about this one, Anne," Sarah grinned. She loved sarcasm. "What about you?"

"I… I shouldn't tell you."

"Oh, come on. You can tell me."

"It'll be against protocol."

"Tool," Sarah teased.

Anne took a napkin and threw it at her friend. "I'll have you know that I have two very good reasons for not telling you."

Sarah took another sip of her drink. "What are they?"

"For one, I shouldn't be telling anybody outside our division about the matters of _our_ division."

"Please," Sarah scoffed. "No one really follows that."

"Which leads me to my second reason. Sarah, I hate to tell you this, but you're really bad at keeping secrets."

"What? Me?"

"And if I told you this one, you'd blab to someone who'd tell someone else and then it would get around and then I'd be out of a job."

Sarah sighed. "You could give a little more credit than that."

"Sorry, but… you know how it is."

Sarah laughed. "Yeah. Little-miss-goody-two-shoes has to ruin my fun."

Anne just shrugged. "Nothing personal, of course."

"Yeah," Sarah nodded her head.

There was a long silence. The sounds of the diner filled in the gap. There were the sounds of the kitchen behind the counter. People going back and forth. Yelling orders. Picking up orders. The clang of dishes being washed.

Sarah looked at her watch. She needed a reason to get out of the uncomfortable silence. "Well, Anne, I have to go."

"Okay."

"It was really nice seeing you again. I'm glad that you could drop by in New York."

"Yeah, same here."

"How long will you be staying?"

"I'll be here for a while. Official business and whatnot."

Sarah got up and put some money on the table. "Does it have to do with your little FBI secret?"

"I know what you're doing, Sarah. And it's not gonna work."

She chuckled to herself. "Darn, I thought it might. Anyway. It was good seeing you. I'll talk to you later."

Anne Lara nodded her head as the woman walked away. Sarah readjusted her dark black blazer. She opened the door to the diner and left.

* * *

Wheels spun around and around. Soft tire moved across the black top. Yellow lines slowly sped past as the vehicle made its way down the street. Sarah White drove as fast as the traffic would allow her. She held one hand on the wheel, slowly tapping her fingers back and forth across it. The noises of the street and the city rang throughout the automobile as it slowly made its way down the busy boulevard.

Her eyes drifted among the moving cars. Her mind thought about Anne. "She's an FBI agent who gets cases that matter. That really mean something. That could really save the world when solved. Cases that need to be classified from the public or even other FBI Agents." Slowly, Sarah became envious of her friend. "And here I am in the FBI and barely doing anything… I haven't even had a real case yet…"

Sarah stopped at a red light, behind ten other cars. She sighed over the terrible New York traffic. Habitually, her eyes drifted down to the glove compartment. She opened it up and took out a police scanner. Using it was something of a recent hobby. Being in the Missing Person's Unit wasn't as exciting as one would think, so she liked to listen to radio frequencies to see what kind of trouble the police department was getting into. Ever since she left the force, she often went back to her routes for some nostalgia. After turning it on, she dialed in for any distress calls.

A long string of static met her ears. She continued to search for a frequency. Finally, after a long search, a distress call came through.

"All available officers come to the New York City Zoo on…"

Sarah smiled. She also enjoyed ruffling the police officer's feathers. Especially the new ones. The light flicked on to green. The cars in front of her began to move forward again. Her foot pressed down on the pedal and she drove down to the city zoo.

* * *

The New York City Zoo was alive with fright. People who were enjoying their day with the exotic animals were now running for their lives down the steps into the city sidewalks and streets. Police cars lined up near the steps and officers ran out towards the danger that resided on the other side of them. Sarah drove up to the curb and turned off the ignition. After grabbing her gun holster and her jacket, she headed down towards the entry way.

A janitor walked down the steps and looked at her. The man uncomfortably smiled but continued on.

Sarah took a quick glance at him but dismissed it.

A young officer waited nervously by the gate entry way. Sarah judged that he couldn't have been older than twenty-one years old. His body fidgeted and twitched. He waited alone in front of the metal bars looking out into the openness of the now empty zoo.

Sarah marched up to him. "What's the situation, officer?"

The young man twitched again. "Wh-who ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-are y-you?"

Sarah laughed inwardly but kept a stern, professional face. She knew that this person was one of the new kids. She flashed her badge and spoke in her most professional voice. "Special Agent Sarah White of the FBI. What is the situation?"

"Well, th-th-there's s-s-s-some-"

Sarah interrupted. "Stop stuttering, Rook, and tell me what's happening!"

"There's some loose animals in the zoo, sir!"

"That's better. Why isn't Animal Control handling this?"

"Th-th-there were t-t-t-t-too many animals l-loose."

Sarah nodded her head and walked into the zoo plaza. The young man grabbed her by the shoulder. "You can't go in there. I'm not s-s-supposed to let anybody in."

"You better get your hand off of my jacket, boy! Do you want to lose your job? I will make sure that you never wear that uniform again. Don't think I won't do it, 'cause I will. I'm FBI. I do what I want!"

He began stuttering again. Frightened squeaks came out of his mouth and the sentence he wanted to get out never formed. Sarah brushed his hand away and continued. A smile came over her face as she got away with her cruel joke. She tried to stifle her laughter, but was unsuccessful. The young man eyed her curiously, twitching and silent.

As her feet made their way into the zoo plaza, Sarah heard some noises coming from her left. A large elephant was surrounded by a small army of police officers. They had their tranquilizer guns at hand and were trying to put it to sleep. The elephant staggered, but remained strong, until a well placed dart to the face rendered it helpless. There was another sound to her right. The large roar of a bear being sedated came to her ears.

Sarah looked around and wondered what she could do to help. "This is one weird-"

Suddenly, a tiger jumped out from behind the bushes and landed in front her. The tiger was a dark, majestic orange with black stripes coursing throughout its body. It was agitated and angry. The sharp claws protruded from its paw and the fangs glistened in the afternoon sun.

Sarah slowly backed away. Her lip quivered with fear. Silent pleas for help squeezed through her eyes as she searched for assistance. The tiger crept forward. She glanced at the people around her. They were busy with their respective animals. Her eyes met with the tigers. They were dark. Angry. Furious. The piercing eyes sent chills down her spine.

Without thinking, she turned around and ran as fast as she could. The tiger roared and gave chase.

Sarah threw her hands into the air. "Shoot it! Shoot it!"

Her feet pounded on the ground. The police officers who had successfully sedated the elephant shouldered their weapons and followed the fleeing woman. The large, orange beast growled and roared as it ran after her.

Even turning corners as quickly as she could, the tiger still remained close behind. She jumped over a planter box and ran down a straightaway leading to the safari exhibit. She took a glance behind. The tiger stealthily crouched in the entry way to the exhibit before it shot down the straightaway with amazing speed.

With a gasp, she began running again. She continued her plea to shoot the animal. With every growl and roar the tiger bellowed, the more frightened she became. Her thoughts became more erratic. Every action she thought became incomprehensible to her body. She ungracefully tried to dodge each pounce and managed to escape for a few more seconds.

The path came to a dead end at a wall.

The gate to leave the exhibit was closed off.

Sarah ran up to the bars and shook them violently. "Open the gates! There's a freakin' tiger over here!"

The beast stopped the chase and crouched before its prey. Its mouth opened to reveal sharp fangs, hungry for flesh. Slowly, it crept forward, a low purr emanating from its throat. Sarah frantically grabbed at the brick of the wall, trying to climb over. She could hear the approaching death from behind, but still she tried. Her hands grabbed at any protruding piece of block in futility.

Sarah banged her hand against the brick wall. She screamed as loud as he could for help. A roar from the tiger caused her to jump in fright and face the hungry beast. All thoughts of escape left her mind. She forgot about the wall to climb over. She forgot about the gun in her holster. She stared into the face and sighed. "This would only happen to me."

The tiger lunged forward.

She closed her eyes.

Five shots.

Sarah crouched low and covered her head. The tiger's body slammed into her body. Her teeth were clenched, prepared for contact. But the pain never came. She opened one eye and looked down at the unmoving body of the tiger.

"Miss? Are you all right?" said a friendly voice.

She looked up to see a police officer with a tranquilizer gun in his hand. He politely gave his hand to help her up. Sarah looked around in shock. Something strange and unexplained had just happened. She stood up by herself. "What just happened?"

"The tiger almost got you. But we shot it."

"Did… it hit me?"

"I don't think so."

She looked down at the unmoving body of the tiger, inspecting its face. It was bloody and broken. Her fingers ran across the furry limbs. Suddenly, Sarah felt sad for the fallen creature. There was no reason why the tiger's bones were crushed like it was.

All lingering questions about the reason why the tiger was bleeding and broken left as her fingers ran down to the claws of the right paw. On one of the claws was a piece of cloth. She took it off and inspected the stitching. It read _William H. Lawson_. Sarah stood back up. "Who is William Lawson?"

The police officer shrugged. "I don't know. That looks like it was attached to a shirt or something. Like a janitor uniform."

"A janitor uniform?"

Sarah pushed her way through the five police officers and ran down to the entrance to the zoo. A group of pedestrians stood behind the caution tape, wondering what had happened or what was happening. She searched for the janitor she saw, but there were so many people.

And then she saw him.

Her mind immediately described him. Male. Maybe six one. Dark skin. Blue cap and matching janitor uniform. Missing name tag. Sarah walked towards him. She kept her eye on his movements. In her hand was the name tag. She didn't know what she was going to do once she came face to face with him, but she was definitely going to do something.

"William Lawson?"

The janitor nodded his head. "Uh... Yeah?"

She flashed her badge. "Sarah White. FBI."

He looked at her. No emotion. Sarah took a step forward. The janitor took a step backward. She took another step and the janitor took off in the opposite direction.

With a grunt of irritation, Sarah gave chase. "Hey, come back! I just want to ask you a few questions!"

The janitor kept running. He ran down the sidewalk with the FBI agent close behind. They came to a secondary parking lot for the city zoo. It was fenced off with a chain-link fence. Inside the parking lot were rows and rows of cars.

Sarah managed to get close enough to tackle him to the ground. She grabbed the janitor's arm and twisted it behind his back. "Why does everyone always run? I just want to ask you a few questions."

The janitor turned his head and smiled mischievously.

He spun around and elbowed her in the shoulder with his right arm. She loosened her grip and flew into the chain-link fence. It rattled as she yelled in pain. He was strong. The janitor got up and ran through the entrance to the secondary parking lot, followed, once again, by Sarah.

He ran behind an Acura RSX. Sarah ran from the opposite direction and cut him off. He turned back around and headed for another escape route. She ran to the other side of the car and cut him off again.

"Stop running!"

"No!"

They stood on opposite sides of the automobile. A car length's away. The janitor went one way and Sarah went the other, cutting him off. Their eyes were locked onto each other's. Whatever one did, the other countered. A stale mate.

"Why are you running?" She finally asked, a little annoyed.

He didn't answer.

"Did you see anything suspicious when the animals were released?"

He didn't answer.

"Can you even talk?"

The janitor angrily inhaled and quickly ran off down the parking lot. Sarah was tired of running. She pulled out her gun and aimed at the wall nearest to the fleeing man. She pulled the trigger. The bullet collided with the brick wall, pieces of it flying in every direction.

He stopped and turned around.

She shook her gun forcefully. "Are you gonna to stop running now?"

"You're really starting to annoy me," he said.

"Oh really? Well you're not doing bad job of pissing me off either."

Angrily, the janitor grabbed the bottom of a nearby car with one arm and lifted it above his head. Sarah's jaw dropped. Her gun slowly went down. He had just picked up an entire car with one arm. The feeling in her fingers temporarily left. "How are you…?"

The car flew high into the sky. Her eyes followed the large metal object go up, hang in the air for a split second before making its descent back down. Her mouth remained open. Every inclination in her body told her to move, but she couldn't. She was still shocked. Suddenly, her senses came to her and Sarah rolled out of the way seconds before the automobile came crashing down.

She somersaulted back up and aimed at his face, her FBI training coming back into her hands. "Put your hands up! Put them up! If you do that again, I swear I am going to shoot you in your head!"

The janitor looked around at his surroundings in vain. His hands did not go up. There was no where to go except up. He looked at the FBI Agent before him and smiled. His feet left the ground and he took off into the air.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	10. William Lawson

(William Lawson – New York City, New York – 11:30 AM)

"How are you feeling?"

His hand gently ran over the soft hair of the zebra behind the metal fence. It did not move, but it allowed the familiar stranger to pet it and speak to it. William Lawson smiled as he reached down into his pocket and brought out a peanut. The black and white animal sniffed at the small nut. After a grunt of satisfaction, it took the food morsel. He gingerly ran his fingers through the soft hair again before going back to sweeping the ground.

The janitor swept the broom back and forth. Little clouds of dust flew into the air and dissipated after a few seconds. His mind wasn't on his job that day. From the moment he opened his eyes in the morning, he couldn't help but wonder if today his gift would go away. His ability. With each slow stroke across the ground, he wondered about the greatness he had been endowed with and what he would do with it.

He noticed a stray piece of garbage scoot across the ground. It was caught in a wind current. It danced in the air like a drunken butterfly before he caught it underneath his shoe. He bent down and picked it up, placing it into the nearest trash container. His eyes wondered around to the contents of the zoo. He leaned against his broom and watched the people pass by.

William Lawson, or William _H._ Lawson as it said on his name tag, was a thirty-five year old janitor. He wasn't the smartest person in the world, but he definitely wasn't foolish in any respect. Instead of possessing book smarts, William had street smarts. He knew when to run from a fight and he knew when to stand his ground. But he was also easygoing and kind, which was the reason why he became a janitor for the New York City Zoo. He enjoyed the company of the animals. He enjoyed the faces of the happy people.

A little girl walked up to the trash dispenser that he was near and placed an empty cardboard bucket labeled _popcorn _into it.

He smiled. "Thank you."

The little girl smiled back. "You're welcome."

She ran off. Back to her parents. William turned around and swept some falling leaves away. He looked at the trees. They were slowly growing browner and browner as the season progressed. Fall was coming. After a quick look around, William walked off towards another part of the zoo. A place where people could not see him.

* * *

With amazing strength, he lifted a boulder over his head and dropped it in another spot, on the opposite side of the large fence. Low rumblings coursed through the ground, making the immediate vicinity quake. He walked to the middle of the exhibit that had been closed off to visitors for renovation and took a look around.

William enjoyed playing around with his ability a little. Whenever he had the chance to pick up an object that was surely five times his own weight, he would try to pick it up. It was like a daily experiment. To see if he could still do it. Besides that, he never liked the way the exhibit had been organized. So he had made it a project to add a few of his own personal touches.

He put his hands on his hips, thinking of a good place to put the other boulder. After a choice was chosen and a nod with his head, William picked up another large rock and placed it in his desired position. "That's a good place to put it," he said to himself.

After placing the boulder on the ground he took a seat on the very top. He took a glance at the large area that was fenced off. The empty space before him. It would soon be the habitat of a mountain lion or even a tiger. He didn't know. His mind drifted with the wind and he thought about the future animal that would occupy the now empty space.

A voice came to his ears. "What do you think you're doing?"

William looked down. It was his boss. "Oh, hey there Mr. Spraggins."

"Don't 'hey there Mister Spraggins' me!" He barked. "Get your lazy butt off of that boulder and go do your job! You think I pay you for sitting around?"

William climbed down the large rock. With a smile he patted his boss on the shoulder. Before starting his daily duties, he grabbed his broom and walked off.

Mr. Spraggins shook his head. "What the heck were you doing up there anyway?"

"Thinking."

William walked away.

Mr. Spraggins shook his head again and sighed. "Freak."

William ignored the comment. He didn't care what his boss thought about him. Mr. Spraggins yelled at everyone out of frustration. He was no exception. With his broom in hand, William followed the sounds of the populace. He found few pieces of garbage on the ground and quickly threw them away.

He, once again, decided to watch the people walk by. There was a large crowd of people going towards the bird show that had already started. A few people walked by with their over-priced zoo beverages. The people. They were all thinking of something, but none of them thought that the mild-mannered janitor of the zoo held a secret. A small grin escaped from his mouth.

A young man, maybe High School age, walked by. He was accompanied by two girls and another boy. William recognized the young man, but he could not remember where from.

William turned away and attended to other duties. He walked around the zoo, looking for some trash to pick up, some leaves to brush away. Something to do. The sky was nice and blue. Clouds slowly drifted through the indigo colored heavens. Silently he wished to soar through it. But now wasn't the time.

He passed by the giraffe exhibit. William decided to take some time to watch the animals. They happily pranced along. Their golden bodies shining in the sun. Each brown box on their hide bumped up and down as they walked across the earth.

One small calf skipped to a rather tall tree and tried to reach for nourishment. It could not grasp the green leaves that were only a few inches above its head. William looked around, making sure that no one was looking. He jumped over the fence and ran to the giraffe in need. He jumped up, grabbed the branch, and slowly brought it down to the hungry animal. It happily nibbled on the leaves.

He remained in the young giraffe's company until it had its fill.

After quick pet, he jumped back over the fence and onto the cement. He looked back at the exhibit before turning to leave. A woman stood in his way. Their eyes met. William smiled and made a mental note. She was pretty. His eyes glanced back and forth, wondering if she had seen him do his amazing feat.

"Um, hello," he said before politely excusing himself.

"Wait," the woman spoke up.

He felt her hand touch his shoulder.

And he blacked out.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	11. Dawn Freeman: Two

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York – 11: 30 AM)

"How are you feeling?"

Dawn stared into the of a public restroom. She stared into her soft complexion. The sad eyes. The face that did not belong to her. The imperfections of the glass could clearly be seen. Distorting her figure. Corrupting her image.

She asked the mirror again the same question, as if waiting for an actual answer. Her reflection seemingly repeated back, but it wasn't the same. She wanted someone to talk to and there was _no one_ to talk to.

Gently, her hand touched the glass, before smearing the image with her fingertips. Her feet slid sadly across the ground as she made her way to the exit. Two young women walked in. _Probably High Schoolers,_ she thought. One smiled politely before going to the sink to apply some makeup.

"So Alec is pretty cute, right?" Asked one.

The other nodded her head. "Do you have to ask? He basically loves you already."

"No he doesn't."

"What are you talking about? Oh my gawd, you are so blind."

The conversation continued, but Dawn did not stick around to listen. She went over to the door and slightly pushed it open. The rays of sun peaked through the tiny crack that she had made, and tried to warm the cold person inside. After a gentle nudge, the door swung open and she became enveloped in the brightness.

Temporarily blinded, Dawn stayed where she was. The noises of the zoo reached her ears. She could hear the happy laughs of the children and their parents. Their cheers of glee. Their words of love. She opened her eyes and blinked furiously to adapt her vision.

Dawn looked around. She thought that coming to the zoo would lift her spirits, but nothing seemed to help. There was an emptiness inside of her that could not be filled for a reason that she could not explain. People all around her walked happily in their jovial time at the zoo. But she did not did not feel the emotion.

Heavily, her body moved across the zoo grounds, going to each and every animal exhibit. Her fingers slid across the metal bars of the fences. It was like a prison for the animals that were held within them. An elephant stood in the middle of its habitat, chained to a metal spike. It was a large, mighty creature, yet, its movements were limited to the length of the chain.

"I know how you feel, Elephant. Such power should not be locked up. Like I was when I was in my prison. The mental institution," she whispered to it. She looked down at her hand. The one that did not belong to her. "The only difference is that now I can leave whenever I want. But… I'm still unhappy."

The elegant creature lifted its trunk above its head and sprayed water over its back. It moved its leg. The chain rattled. It whimpered in fear, and did not move any longer. It was discouraging to look upon. If something so powerful could be contained, what did she have to look forward to? If something so elegant could be trapped in loneliness, what hope was there? Dejected, Dawn lowered her head and walked away.

* * *

Dawn stood in a corner. The long brown hair of the body flowed in front of her face along with the winds of the season. The left arm held the right arm for support. The feet remained timid, and close together. The eyes drifted across the faces that passed. Some looked back. The majority did not.

"All of these people probably can't imagine the power that I have right now. With a touch, one of them could be mine," she whispered to herself.

Although she knew about the ability she possessed, there were still the unanswered questions. How was it happening? How was it possible? Slowly, she brushed the hair out of her eyes and behind her ears.

"Are there others like me?" A memory flashed and an epiphany erupted in her mind. She thought back to the night of the concert. "There was that man at the concert. The bullet bounced right off of his back."

A low rumble came from a distance and disrupted her train of thought.

Dawn turned her head to the sound. She left the body that was in her possession. It fell to the ground and the extraordinary mental patient continued on. She came upon an exhibit that was closed off. There was a sign in front of the entrance that read _Closed for Renovation_.

The obstacle did not detract her from finding the mysterious rumblings. As she walked down the empty pathway, she could not hear any sound at all. The rumbling had stopped. She investigated further and found a janitor in the middle of an empty cage. Dawn hid in the brush near the cement pathway and watched.

The janitor had his hands on his hips. He looked around the vacancy before picking up a giant boulder and placing it in his desired spot. Dawn's mouth opened in shock and awe. He climbed to the top of the large rock and sat, looking over the barren land. All too soon, another man came from the exhibit entrance and began yelling at him. She watched as the man climbed down a giant boulder and excused himself from the exhibit.

Dawn followed secretly in the brush until he left the pathway into the populace of the zoo. On the way, he picked up trash here and there. She left her place of hiding to continue her pursuit, deciding to hide in the cover of human beings and watch from a distance.

The janitor leaned against a cage and watched the people walk by. Dawn remained. Watched his every move. Waiting for him to display his amazing feat of strength once again. After a long while, he went on with his custodial duties. Once again, Dawn followed after.

He passed by the giraffe exhibit and stopped to watch them. They happily pranced along, their golden bodies shining in the sun.

One small calf skipped to a rather tall tree and tried to reach for nourishment. It could not grasp the green leaves that were only a few inches above its head. The janitor looked around. Dawn quickly hid behind another barrier of brush. She watched as he jumped over the fence and flew into the air. His body lifted into the air and he grabbed a branch and brought it down into the little giraffe's reach. He remained in the young giraffe's company until it had its fill.

"He… he flew," she whispered to herself in amazement.

After a quick pet, he jumped back over the fence and onto the cement. He looked back at the exhibit before turning to leave. Dawn smiled. It was an amazing ability. And she wanted it. Quickly, she left her place of hiding and came in front of him. Their eyes met.

He looked around before drawing his attention back to her. "Uh hello," he said before politely excusing himself.

"Wait," she said.

Dawn grabbed his arm and took full control of his body. Her eyes were momentarily closed during the transference. She opened them back up and breathed in. She smiled and made her new hands into fists, already feeling the power the body held.

Immediately, she walked to the metal bars that made up the fences of the cages and took hold of it. A breath of air escaped from her mouth as she prepared for what was to happen next. She felt a strange strength emanate from her body. It was powerful. The metal bar easily lifted out of the dirt it was once connected to. Dawn casually tossed it aside. She smiled in an amazed glee.

The woman in the janitor's body jumped into the air and glided over to the giraffes. "You're free!"

She smacked the large, lengthy animals on their hides and made them gallop away. To freedom.

Dawn thought back to the chained elephant. The powerful prisoner of the zoo. She took off into the air to free the poor animal.

* * *

Dawn happily stood in the middle of chaos. Animals were freely roaming around the zoo grounds. Pedestrians were fearfully running for their lives. She stood like a firm pebble in the current of a river. They all ran. Screaming and yelling. But she remained. Looking at the freeness of the multitude of animals. They were no longer prisoners.

She walked along the zoo plaza. Watching the mighty beasts of the zoo roam left and right of her. She smiled.

But the smile soon disappeared. The cry of a lonely tiger made its way to her ears. She turned to her left and went towards the plea for freedom. Once again, the bars easily came up and she walked into the tiger habitat.

The exotic creature growled under its breath as the intruder came in. It paced back and forth, watching as she came closer.

Dawn kneeled down. "Don't worry. I'm going to let you free."

The tiger growled and swiped its massive paw. Dawn fell back. She looked down at her chest. The uniform had been ripped. The name tag had been torn off.

Another low growl.

Dawn looked up at the fierce beast in front of her.

It pounced.

She launched into the sky and flew away.

Dawn landed a safe distance away. The sound of the roaring tiger told her that it was still looking for something to devour. She decided that it would be a good time leave. As the woman came closer to the exit, policeman and Animal Control entered in. The animals that had just received their freedom were going to lose it. She wanted to do something, but as more men approached, she decided against it.

Her feet quickly moved across the ground. Underneath the large zoo sign and down the flight of steps. She passed a woman dressed in a dark blazer. An uncomfortable smile went across her face in nervousness. Dawn looked back as the woman went up the steps. She leaned up against the tree. And waited. Waited for the climax of the day.

* * *

Dawn watched the people at the footsteps of the entrance. Quite a few had gathered. They talked amongst each other and tried to figure out what had happened. Inside, she smiled. They did not know that she was the one who had started it. Her gaze went across their faces.

Then she saw her.

The woman who she had seen earlier was walking directly towards her. In her hand was a fabric of some sort. Dawn looked at her facial expression. There was a strange determination in the eyes that made her shiver inside.

She walked up to her. "William Lawson?"

Dawn thought. She didn't know the name of the person that she inhabited. Her mind raced for an action to do. Finally, she nodded her head and said, "Yeah?"

The woman flashed her badge. "Sarah White. FBI."

She looked at the FBI Agent. Every thing in her body told her to run. Every inclination. But she remained calm. No emotion. Sarah took a step forward. The janitor took a step backward. She took another step. Dawn bit her bottom lip and took off in the opposite direction.

"Hey, come back! I just want to ask you a few questions!"

She kept running. She wanted to get as far away as fast as she could. At first, Dawn thought about leaving the body in an alley, but the power she now possessed overcame the thought. There had to be a better way.

She ran down the sidewalk with the FBI Agent close behind. They came to a secondary parking lot for the city zoo that was fenced off with a chain-link fence. Inside the parking lot were rows and rows of cars.

The FBI Agent managed to get close enough to tackle her to the ground. She grabbed Dawn's arm and twisted it behind her back. "Why does everyone always run. I just want to ask you a few questions."

The mental patient quickly spun around and elbowed Sarah's shoulder. The hold on her arm loosened and the body crashed against the chain-link fence. It rattled as a yell of pain hung out in the air. Dawn got up and ran through the entrance to the secondary parking lot, followed closely from behind.

She ran behind an Acura RSX. The FBI Agent ran from the opposite direction and cut her off. She tried to turn back around to head for another escape route, but she was cut off again.

"Stop running!"

"No!" Dawn yelled back.

They stood on opposite sides of the automobile. A car length's away. Dawn went one way and Sarah went the other, cutting her off. Their eyes were locked onto each others. Whatever one did, the other countered. A stale mate.

"Why are you running?" Sarah asked forcefully.

She didn't answer.

"Did you see anything suspicious when the animals were released?"

She didn't answer.

"Can you even talk?"

They were going around in circles and Dawn wanted to leave. She angrily inhaled and quickly ran off down the parking lot. Suddenly, the loud crack of gunfire exploded in her ears and bounced off the walls. Pieces of hard, red brick flew in every direction.

Dawn stopped in her tracks and turned around.

The FBI Agent had the gun pointed at her head. "Are you going to stop running now?"

Dawn knew that she needed to act fast. Slowly, she breathed in and slowly, she breathed out. She had control of amazing power and she did not want to lose it. The FBI Agent was beginning to annoy her.

"You're really starting to annoy me," she sneered.

"Oh really?" the woman with the gun retaliated. "Well you're not doing bad job of pissing me off either."

Dawn looked around. She was surrounded by large metal cars. It was perfect. She grabbed the bottom of a nearby car with one arm and lifted it up. The gun slowly went down.

"How are you…?"

The car flew through the sky and descended on the FBI Agent. Just as the car came crashing down, she rolled out of the way.

She somersaulted back up and aimed at her face. "Put your hands up! Put them up! If you do that again, I swear I am going to shoot you in your head!"

Dawn looked around at her surroundings once again. But it was in vain. The closest car was a few feet away. More than enough time to be shot. There was only one escape route. She smiled at the woman holding the gun, but her hands did not go up. There was nowhere to go except up. Her feet left the ground and she took off into the air.

Dawn looked down at the shocked person one last time before soaring over the clouds towards freedom.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	12. Wayne Rockwell

(Wayne Rockwell – New York City, New York – 9:00 PM)

"How are you feeling?"

Wayne Rockwell stood behind a large glass window. His eyes stared at the man sitting at the table on the other side of the mirror. The rock star had his arms folded across his chest. In his hand was the picture found in the culprit's jacket pocket.

Next to him was a pacing David Donner, his newly hired bodyguard. There were no lights in the room. It was completely dark. On the other side of the large glass window was the man who had tried to murder the rock star. His hands were placed in front of him and he stared down at them. The interrogator walked back and forth behind the man asking questions about the incident. But the man would not speak. He lips were sealed. Silent.

Wayne casually repeated the question.

David sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm doing… fine."

"You seem a little tense."

"Well I don't mean to be," his response was almost immediate.

Wayne looked at the pacing man. He had a face of concern. Or annoyance. He placed a friendly arm on the photographer turned bodyguard, "What's bothering you, dude? Is it Jessica? Hey, if you need to go her then go to her, man. Don't let me stop you."

"It's not that," David replied. He wanted to say what was in his mind, but the occasion did not call for it. He kept his emotions in check and kept his words in his mind, "It's… it's nothing. Don't worry about it."

The rock star nodded his head as the interrogator walked into the darkly lit room. Their eyes met. The interrogator sighed dryly, "He's not talking."

"Well I could've told you that," he said. Wayne scratched the back of his head and thought. After a few second he spoke, "What about that woman you saw, Dave?"

"What about her?"

"Ask him about that woman."

David shook his head, "I don't think that woman has anything to do with this."

"Well,_ you_ don't know. She was on stage when he shot at me so… maybe she was helping him or something."

The interrogator also shook his head, "I don't think it'll help. He's still not talking about anything."

Wayne brought the picture up to the man's face, "Some one is trying to kill me, Mr. Smith! Make him talk!"

David stepped between the two individuals, "Whoa, calm down, Wayne."

The angered rock star looked at the face of the interrogator. There was some one trying to kill him and the private investigator _wasn't_ doing everything he could find out why. David grabbed Wayne by his shoulders and gently pushed him backwards. Away from Mr. Smith.

Wayne nodded his head. An angered sight left his open mouth, "I'm sorry, but… you have to understand. Some one _is_ trying to kill me."

"I understand that, Mr. Rockwell."

"Find out why."

"We'll try everything we can."

Wayne stared intently at the figure before him. He needed an assurance that the task would be done. David looked back and forth at the two individuals facing each other. After a wink to his friend, he took Mr. Smith under his arm and brought him closer to the exit, saying something inaudible. After a brief conversation, Mr. Smith looked back at the rock star and nodded his head.

David turned around and smiled, "Okay, now that _that_ is solved; let's go."

His eyes went from his bodyguard to the interrogator. And then back again. The ex-photographer smiled and opened the door. Wayne couldn't help but smile. He gently folded the picture and stuffed it into his back pocket before leaving.

* * *

"So what exactly did you do?" Wayne asked as the two left the building.

David shrugged and walked to the edge of the curb. He lifted his arm. A few yellow cars passed by. Once again he continued to call a taxi, but it seemed that nothing worked. Wayne rolled his eyes and whistled. A yellow automobile pulled up to the curb and the two stepped in.

"Okay," Wayne began, " I know you said something to Smith back there. What was it?"

"Nothing. It was nothing."

He grinned and decided to forget about the whole thing. David continued to tell the driver where he wanted to go and Wayne decided to look out the window. A few cars passed by. Wayne couldn't help but think that one of the cars held the killer. The person who wanted him dead. He glanced at the sidewalk on the other side of the street. The flowing river of people never subsided. There always seemed to be someone walking down the streets of New York.

As the current of pedestrians walked one way, one figure stood out among the rest. Wayne leaned forward to get a closer look. It was a man. From where the cab was positioned, possibly of some sort of Asian descent. He was wearing all black. But it seemed like no one was paying attention to the strangely clad person.

A car passed by, blocking Wayne's vision.

When the car went on, the man was gone.

Wayne's lips twisted in confusion. The taxi began moving, leaving the mystery of the strange man to another time. He shook his head and faced the front of the car.

David repositioned himself, "Okay, so after the cab drops you off at your hotel, I'll be at my apartment. So, if you need anything, I guess you can call me on my cell phone."

"Yeah," Wayne said. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Um, I booked the hotel suite a few rooms from mine for you and your wife to stay in."

"That's nice, Wayne, but I think I'm going to have to decli-"

"I insist, dude. Seriously. It's the least I could do after you saved my life. And not only that, you're my bodyguard now. You're going to get the exact same treatment as I do."

David remained silent. He looked down at his hands for a while before replying, "I'll think about it."

"You'll think about it? Come on, dude! The Hotel Suite!"

"I'm going to have to talk to my wife about this."

Wayne laughed, "Oh right. I forgot. You have to talk to the missus."

There was a moment of silence.

"That was a joke wasn't it?"

Wayne smiled and nodded his head, "Yeah. It was supposed to be a burn."

David shook his head at the joke. The car came to a halt and he stepped out. The rock star reached into his back pocket and pulled out some money. The driver thankfully took it, "Thanks…uh," he glanced down at the nameplate, "Mr. Suresh."

"You're welcome," replied the taxi driver.

"Um, would you mind waiting for my friend. He'll be coming back."

"That won't be a problem."

Wayne stepped out. David was waiting for him. He was looking up at the immense size of the hotel. There were so many stories. His finger tapped the side of his leg as he tried to count each one. The entrance had two large double doors that were made of glass. One could see into the lobby without even walking in. The base of the building was made of brick. The body was a crème yellowish color and thousands of windows occupied practically every space in it. It was a magnificent piece of architecture.

"That's where I'll be staying. And you can too. After you talk to your wife, of course."

David snapped out of his gaze, "Um, yeah. I'll talk to her about it."

Wayne laughed. He handed him the rest of the money in his back pocket, "Here. The cab's waiting."

The bodyguard hesitantly took the money before stepping into the waiting taxi. Wayne watched as it drove away and connected with the line of traffic. He took a look around at the people in the vicinity. The sun had retired its shift in the sky and the moon was giving its cold light. Two girls jogging in their exercise uniforms noticed him and asked for autographs. He happily took their sharpie pen and signed their stomachs like every other rock star he knew.

After a few winks and a lot of flirting, he began walking to the entrance of the hotel. A strange feeling came over him. It was feeling that some one was watching him. Quickly, his body spun around. The man in the black uniform was standing on the other side of the street. Looking at him. Watching him. Wayne speedily opened the double doors and closed them. Through the glass, he tried to see the man. But, once again, he was gone.

Wayne was breathing heavily. He looked back at the street. Nothing. There was no one there watching him. After calming himself, he sighed and shook his head. "I should probably go to bed early tonight," he said slowly walking to the elevator to his room.

* * *

The door to his hotel suite opened with a pull. Wayne groggily walked in. The sounds of his band members talking echoed throughout the large room. He walked in and fell into the comfort of the couch. The other members lifted their bottles of beer in recognition.

"So where were you all day, dude?" Asked Zac.

Wayne covered his eyes with his right arm and blocked out the brightness of the room, "I was with the private investigator. He was interrogating the guy who tried to kill me."

"Oh… any luck with that?"

"Nope."

George grabbed an unopened bottle from the top of the coffee table and threw it onto the resting man's stomach, "Here, dude, have a drink. It'll make all of your problems go away."

The tired and irritated man sat up and placed the bottle on the ground at the foot of the couch, "You apparently haven't heard of sleep; which is what I'm trying to get right now. Can you guys go hang out in Zac's room or something?"

"You're tired?" Zac laughed. "Dude, it's like seven o' clock."

"It's nine thirty."

He shrugged, "It's still too early to be going to bed."

"Please leave and let me sleep."

The two looked at each other before picking up their bottles and leaving. Before the door shut, they said their good-byes. Wayne was left alone in the large hotel suite. He trudged over to his bedroom, turning off every light in the room on the way, and fell onto the king size bed. The entire room was dark. Only scattered slivers of silver light came through the blinds.

He didn't even bother to change out of his clothes. He was tired from the days events. He was tired from the interrogation. He was just _tired_. His eyes slowly closed as he looked out the window.

A dark figure rushed passed his vision.

Wayne shot out of the bed. He was ready this time. Quickly, he found the intruder and pushed him into the wall, his hands glowing with a bright light. With his arms outstretched, he yelled in scared excitement. A blinding flash of light filled the room. Just as fast as the light came into the room, it disappeared. The rock star stood over a dark clothed man.

A knock came at the door.

Wayne turned his head to the sound of knocking and looked back at his opponent. But the person had disappeared. Just like the light that had flashed. He looked around in futility. The intruder was gone. More knocks persistently called out to the man in the bedroom. He slowly backed out before walking over to the entrance to answer.

"Hello?"

David and Jessica stood on the other side. They both smiled. Wayne looked down at their bags. He returned their smile with a chuckle and shook his head.

David glanced into the room, "Why didn't you answer?"

"I was…uh, sleeping."

Jessica laughed, "You do know that it's like nine o' clock, right?"

"It's nine thirty…"

"Well," David began, "We've come to enjoy the luxury and life of a rock star."

"I knew you couldn't resist! Okay, um, let me get your cards," he left the doorway and grabbed the extra two key cards on the counter. He returned with a smile, "So I guess you talked it over?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Wayne leaned out of the door and pointed to the room, "It's three rooms down on the left side. And hey, order whatever you want from Room Service anytime you want. It's all on me."

"Thank you," Jessica said making her way to her new hotel room.

David watched his wife leave. He turned back around and gave the rock star a firm handshake, "Thank you, Wayne."

"Hey, don't mention it."

"Do you treat all of your bodyguards like this?"

Wayne shook his head, "Only the cool ones."

David laughed and followed after his wife. Wayne peeked into the hallway to make sure they got into their room safely. After David disappeared behind the hotel door, he softly closed the door.

He chuckled to himself and turned around. Slowly he exhaled and walked over to the bay window in the hotel room. He gazed up at the moon. It was full. Something good was going to happen. He knew it. After a glance up at the stars, he turned around to go to sleep.

The intruder appeared right in front of him.

In a reflex, Wayne's hands began glowing the bright light once again. He brought them up and pointed the light at the dark figure. The luminance from his hands lit up the man's face. It was the same man from the other side of the street. He had a faded haircut. He was clean-shaven with a small patch of hair on his chin.

The intruder put his hands up, "Wait! Please, don't do anything. I'm here to help."

Wayne took a step forward. Brightening the face. The intruder did not seem like a threat, but the rock star kept his hands up, ready for what would happen next, "Who… are you?"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	13. The Other Side

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The mental patient has found a new body with amazing abilities. The High School Senior made an important decision to leave his home and found refuge with a friend. The rock star has been contacted by a strange and mysterious person. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER FOUR "THE OTHER SIDE"

"_What _is trust? _Who _can we trust? These questions course through our very souls in the time of need, in the time of desperation. In every person's life, he will come across a decision that will change his life forever. A decision that can be made once, for the good or for the bad. The one question that he has to answer is _who can I trust_?" – Mohinder Suresh

(Wayne Rockwell – New York City, New York)

Wayne's hands began glowing a bright light. He brought them up and pointed the light at the dark figure. The luminance from his hands lit up the man's face. It was the same Asian man from the other side of the street. He had a faded haircut, and was clean-shaven with a small patch of hair on his chin.

The Asian intruder put his hands up. "Wait! Please, don't do anything. I'm here to help."

Wayne took a step forward. Brightening the face. The intruder did not seem like a threat, but the rock star kept his hands up, ready for what would happen next. "Who… are you?"

"My name is James Lee and I'm here to tell you who is trying to kill you."

Wayne lowered his hands slightly.

"You're in danger."

The glowing hands dimmed and Wayne brought them down. The room became dark again. The moonlight replaced the brightness of his palms and cast a silver glow over the two men. James' face was partially covered in shadow. The rock star's body was completely engulfed in the light of the moon.

Wayne was confused. "Why didn't you just come to me? You scared the crap out of me."

"I could not risk being caught."

"By who?"

"Does the word _Silence_ mean anything to you?"

He thought. The word streamed through his mind. His eyes traveled back and forth trying to find the meaning to the cryptic word, but nothing came up. It was a blank. "No."

James silently cursed to himself. "You don't remember either?"

"Either? What does that mean? What is _Silence_?"

James fell back into the shadows, hiding half of his face from the moon's light. "You were a part of a secret government agency called _Silence_ that specialized in stopping terrorism in the United States. You probably don't know this, but the government knows about people like you."

"What do you mean: 'people like me'?"

"There are people all over the world that have extraordinary abilities, Wayne. Your bodyguard is one of them. _You're_ one of them," the man smiled. "Your certain skill is Energy Conversion, isn't it?"

"How… how do you know about that?"

"It's not important. What's important is what I'm about to tell you: there was a team member that you worked with who went rogue during your last mission. During the attack he nearly destroyed _Silence_. You and your team was able to detain him, and the government put him in a high level security prison, but…"

Wayne listened intently at the words that were given to him. And every word didn't make sense. Every situation couldn't be possible. He watched the man in front of him relay the information. He heard the words that came out of his mouth. Nothing made sense. "Why don't I remember _any_ of this?"

James continued on. "He escaped, Wayne."

The sentence hung in the air like a hot air balloon. It stung his hears. The sound of his voice was harsh. The rock star tried his best not to think of the sentence that would come next.

"And he's taking revenge on the team who had brought him down.

James looked at the person before him. Looking for a sign of strength. A sign of confidence. Wayne turned his head. Looking for a sign that he was asleep, that he was dreaming. But he was very much awake. His gaze went down to his hands. They were shaking. The man in the dark clothing remained silent. Awaiting a response.

"But… but the police arrested the guy who tried to shoot me."

"That wasn't the Rogue Agent. He has a vast organization now to deal with you. He's already murdered the three other members of the team."

Wayne shook his head in shock. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be real.

"And you're next."

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

Alec sat on a beanbag chair in the corner of his friend's room. He still held onto his bags. They contained every article of clothing he owned, every material possession, save for a few misplaced socks. He had been at Justin's house numerous of times before. It was nice to be somewhere he felt comfortable in. There was the television hanging on the wall with a PlayStation 2 connected to it. There was the desk with a large Sony boom box on it. CD's decorated the shelf above it, including every Coldplay album... even the b-sides. Papers and homework were horrifyingly strewn across the tabletop. Above the bed were five vinyl records of classic rock artists.

The door opened and Justin came in. He gave an awkward smile and sat down on his bed. He stared down at his feet, not knowing what to say. In a nervous habit, he began making clicking sounds.

Alec placed his bags to the side. "Uh, so thanks for letting me stay, dude."

"Oh yeah, no problem. My parents don't really care anyway."

"Cool."

Alec quietly fiddled around with the straps of his Adidas bag. After another pause he spoke up. "What did you tell them anyway?"

"About what?"

"About me staying here."

"Oh…um, I just said that you were going to spend the night."

"And they didn't ask any questions?"

"Nah."

"Okay," he got up and picked up all of his bags. "Where, uh, do you want me to put my stuff?"

Justin shrugged. "You can just throw it in the closet."

Alec nodded and opened the closet. He un-shouldered each strap and placed the bags near the front. He took a quick glance at the contents of the little closet. A smaller dresser was at the very back. A suit and a few sweaters hung on the hangers. On the left wall stood stack after stack of comic books.

Alec slowly closed the door. "You've gotten a lot more comic books since I last came here."

"Oh, yeah, well, my uncle had a bunch and he gave them to me."

"Have you read all of them?"

"Of course!"

Alec turned and faced the closed door of the closet. He sighed. The power he controlled reminded him of comic book characters. The Superheroes.

Justin got up from his bed and started flipping through his many CDs. Something in the back of his mind told Alec to tell his friend about his power. Something inside of him wanted to tell someone he could trust. Maybe it was his conscience. Maybe it was his gut. But he decided to speak up. "I, uh… wasn't telling the truth… um, before."

The young man continued searching for a specific compact disc. "What are you talking about?"

"When I told you that Chris went too far and I had to run away… well, I wasn't exactly telling the entire story."

"Uh…okay?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York)

She sat on a table underneath an umbrella. A gentle breeze swayed through the short, curly black hair. She sat in front of a Starbucks Café. It was relatively early and there weren't too many customers. She sat alone in the plaza of forest green chairs and tables. She had in her hand a small cup of tea. The hot steam traveled into the cold air and disappeared.

A man walked up to the coffee shop. He looked familiar. He politely nodded to her before opening the door and walking in. She turned around in her seat to get a better look. She needed to make sure the man she had seen was in fact the man who used to give her food at the Mental Institution.

Through the large glass windows, she watched him. Waiting for the opportune moment to have a little talk with her old 'friend.'

* * *

"Chris made me steal from banks."

Justin remained silent. He didn't know how to respond.

"He made me do it, Justin. I didn't have a choice."

"That's…that's bad, Alec. That's really bad."

"I know!" Alec lamented. "I didn't say I was proud of what I did."

"Okay... okay, I just need to process this," he replied slowly. "How... how long have you been doing this?"

"For a while. But I stopped. That's why I left. I wasn't going to help him anymore."

"How did you even steal from the banks? Did you pull an Italian Job and get a team or something?"

Alec sighed. "No."

"Then how?"

"I can run really fast."

Justin laughed. "Yeah, I know. You're the fastest person on the team."

"No, I mean: I can run really, really, really fast."

"What does that even mean, dude?"

Alec sighed again. "Watch."

In a split second, he ran out of the room, out of the house and to the nearest store. The world momentarily slowed down. Quickly, he swiped the first thing he could find and ran back. In one moment, he was sitting on the bean bag chair, and in the next, he stood in front of his friend with a box of women's shoes.

"What the heck?" Justin jumped back, surprised. "Where did you get that?"

"Like I said: I can run really fast."

Justin almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wait… so you can run super fast? Like… really, really, really fast?"

"Well, yeah-"

"So that's how you won all of your races!"

The High School Senior sighed.

"You cheated," his friend laughed.

Alec rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you're taking this so well.

"I know," Justin said, still smiling like a little child. "Your secret is safe with me."

Alec fell down into the beanbag chair again, relieved that he had told someone who wouldn't exploit him. Like _some_ people he knew.

"You should probably give those shoes back."

"Oh right."

Once again, he disappeared and returned a second later. Justin remained in front of his table. When Alec returned, he leaned back onto the edge, completely impressed. The childish grin was still on his face. He looked down at his friend's feet.

"Why are you looking at my feet?"

"How fast can you actually go?"

The High School Senior scratched the back of his head before answering. He stroked his long hair through his fingers. The truth was that he didn't really know how fast he could go. He never tried to reach his maximum speed. His full potential. Alec shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I've only run fast enough so that people are going really slow, like in the movies."

Justin had an inquisitive look on his face. He slowly nodded his head retaining the answer in his mind. "So… would you say that you're as fast as The Flash?"

"The guy from The Justice League?"

"Yeah."

"Um… I'm not sure. How fast can he run?"

"Well, there's four different flashes. The first one, I forgot his name, he's just a speedster. Like, I think he can only go really fast and stuff. Then there's Barry Allen, and he can move the speed of light. Or is that Wally West?"

"Okay, well, I don't think I can move the speed of light," Alec said. He nodded his head very matter-of-factly.

Justin continued. "And then there's Bart Allen. When he was Impulse, um, that was him before he was Flash, he could, like, go so fast that he could move through dimensions or travel through time. Something like that."

"I _know_ I can't do that."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty positive."

"Well, I think all of them could at least go the speed of sound. But all of The Flashes take their speed power from the Speed Force… and, well, now Bart Allen _is_ the Speed Force, so who knows how fast he can move now."

Alec smiled and shook his head. "You're a nerd, dude."

The other Senior shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "I guess I just really like comic books." He chuckled to himself before going on. "Actually, Bart Allen once read an entire encyclopedia and remembered everything in it."

"I can do that" Alec perked up. "… actually, I've done it."

"In like ten seconds?"

"I think so."

Justin laughed. "Wow," a grin overcame his face again. "Name every U.S President and their wives."

"I didn't say I could remember everything I've read!"

* * *

The man walked out of the Starbucks café. He happily whistled a tune into the crisp air. He turned a corner and walked down the sidewalk to his car that was parked on the side of the curb. Dawn stepped in front of him, hindering his movement farther. The man tried to get around, but she would not let him. He finally cursed at her. "Will you get out of my way?"

Dawn smiled. "Hello, Nelson."

He was shocked to hear the stranger call out his name. He had never seen this person before in his life. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh, I know more than your name," she spat, taking a step forward. Nelson stepped backwards. The coffee cup trembling in his hands. Dawn continued. "You gave food to a certain Dawn Freeman in the Mental Institution for six years."

He backed up into the wall of the building. "Six years? It was, like, six months!"

"Liar! You pretended to be her friend!"

She got right up to his face and pointed the index finger at his eye. He wriggled against the wall, trying to get farther from the person he did not know. Nelson turned his head sideways, become more nervous by the second. "Have… have we met?"

"The last time was a while ago. In the Mental Institution."

A shocked expression overcame his frightful face.

She stared into his eyes, giving him the needed hint. "Remember? It was eight chapters ago in my introduction."

"Dawn?" He whispered.

She smiled.

Her hands forcefully grabbed the poor man by his jacket collar and their bodies lifted off into the air. He screamed in terror. Legs kicking frantically. Arms locked onto her forearm. He looked down. Streets. Cars. Buildings. All passed beneath his feet as they climbed higher and higher through the sky.

"How is this possible?" He looked up at the man carrying him and screamed. "How are you Dawn Freeman? I've never met you before in my life!"

Dawn flew pass the tallest building in the city and into the clouds. The man in her arms gasped for air. For life. She grinned, "You wasted six years of my life! I thought you were my friend!"

"Please," he managed to let out. Air escaping from his lungs. "Please don't kill me."

She looked in to his eyes.

To her surprise, compassion overtook revenge.

Without a word, she slowly left the white pillows in the sky. He was breathing heavily, trying to regain the oxygen that was lost. And his legs were still kicking freely. She glided down to the needle on top of the Empire State Building. After hanging his jacket on the tip, she flew off. Nelson hung helplessly by his jacket. Staring down at the world below.

* * *

Wayne stood in front of the bay window. In the light of the moon. In shock. He was the next target of a murderous rogue agent of a secret government agency that he was once apart of. It seemed unreal. Yet the man before him sounded so confident and convinced. The story could actually be true. The story replayed in his head. The entire events repeated over and over again. Each time, he tried to make sense of it all.

James Lee slowly nodded his head. "Do you understand?"

Wayne didn't respond.

"All you need to know is that _the answer lies in silence_."

The Asian messenger walked away, having relayed the message. An odd thumping noise suddenly came from the ceiling. He stopped and looked back at Wayne. The rock star was still unmoving, contemplating the received message. A black line mysteriously fell across the window. James walked towards it cautiously. Wayne slowly came out of his stunned state. His eyes met the others' as he walked closer towards him.

"What's going-"

"Shh!" James whispered, putting his finger up to his lips, moving closer to the window to investigate.

A sharp deafening sound erupted from the window. James fell on his knees. Holding his ears from the pain. Wayne turned around. A masked figure crashed through the glass and tackled him to the floor.

The darkly veiled person punched the unsuspecting man with hard, precise hits. The rock star yelled in pain as each blow struck his body. James recovered from the vertigo. He looked over to where the rock star was being attacked.

"It's one of The Rogue's assassins!"

The room filled with screams of pain. James regained his senses and tackled the masked figure off of him. Wayne slowly sat up. Wincing from the pain received by the punches. In a dazed confusion, he saw his protector losing the fight to the masked intruder.

Quickly, he got up to his feet and ran to his aid. With all of his might, his fist met the masked figure's head. The body fell to the ground and released the hold on James' throat. Wayne held his fist and stood over person. James coughed for air on the floor.

"Yeah," Wayne taunted as the figure slowly got up. "Take tha-"

He never finished his sentence. A shrill stinging pain in his neck stopped him short. Without a word, he fell backwards. His entire body in paralysis. The masked figure ominously got up and pulled out a shiny weapon from his boot. Wayne moaned in agony. Banging on the entrance door reached his ears. Wayne glanced at the door and tried to call for help. The figure cloaked in darkness approached. Wayne prepared for the worst.

Suddenly, James lunged forward. Crashing through glass. Taking the masked intruder out of the window with him. And down below.

Wayne closed his eyes. The silver light of the moon strangely blended together with the absence of light around his body. Darkness overcame him. And he lost consciousness.

* * *

Continued…

Thank your for reading and please review!


	14. Simple Hearts

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. David, the bodyguard, and his wife have finally come to accept their new rolls in each other's life. The High School Junior still thinks of her ability as an unwanted gift. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER FIVE "SIMPLE HEARTS"

(Jessica Donner – New York City, New York)

The moon hung in the dark, cloud filled sky. A chilly gust of wind blew throughout the city. Cars inhabited the streets. Birds inhabited the heavens. In one large hotel suite, a rock star lay in his bed. Wayne Rockwell rested in his divan. Jessica Donner overlooked and took care of his well being.

She stood over him. Eyes closed. Searching for the illness that plagued the bed-shaped man. But she could not feel anything. Nor sense any kind of physical danger to his system. She had cured his paralysis the night before but that was it. Physically he was fine. She concentrated hard. Her powers were still new to her, but she was still a nurse. Helping people was a part of her life.

With one last failed attempt, Jessica decided to try again another time. Her fingers massaged her temples. The frustration slowly eased out of her body. Her long dark brown hair fell across her face as she looked down at the rock star.

"What's wrong?" She silently asked the unresponsive body.

With a sigh of aggravation, she slowly moved to go out of the bedroom. Wayne stirred in his sleep. Whimpering like a small child. Crying, sometimes, to the sounds in his head. Jessica stopped and turned around. She looked at the poor man. Something was wrong with him. And she couldn't do anything to help.

She exited the bedroom and gently closed the door.

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York)

Casey slowly moved across the extremely busy sidewalk of Time Square. For the first time in a very long time, a smile was on her face. Her teeth shown brilliantly against her skin. The exuberant lights of the busy streets and buildings lit up her face. In her hand were a few shopping bags full of new clothes, some new makeup, and a brand new hat, which she happily stuck on her head.

Alec Lions pointed at a few kids petting an officer's horse. The happiness from something small. The innocence of a young child. Casey looked in the direction of the pointed finger and smiled.

The High School Senior walked closer to the girl. "This is nice."

She looked up into the darkened sky. "It is, isn't it?"

Alec grinned and shrugged. "I was talking about my Coca-Cola. What were you talking about?"

"What? You're drink?" she asked, a laugh escaping her mouth. "You're stupid."

The young man laughed and continued on. "Yeah, this is really tasty!" He held up his large cup of soda with two hands. After a loud whoop, he took off the cap and drank his fill.

Casey shook her head and began to walk faster.

Alec brought the cup down from his lips and noticed the young woman walking away, laughing the entire way. With a grin on his face, he sped up and caught up with her. "Where're you going, cutie?"

She laughed again. "You are so weird."

"Please," he sarcastically scoffed. "I'm the coolest guy there is."

Casey chuckled. She looked at the person walking next to her. The person that was making jokes. Being charming. Being nice. Acting so incredibly cute she blushed with embarrassment. Even the black eye he had gave him an attractive edge. Alec turned and faced her. A smile slid across his face. The young woman couldn't help but smile back.

Quickly her eyes left the sight of the young man and to the crowd in front of her. She did not want to seem like she was staring at him. Trying to find a new subject to talk about, Casey looked around. "Where'd Justin and Tina go?"

He took another sip of his drink and casually shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. They said something about going to the Broadway show… or something like that."

"Oh. I hope they're okay."

"I'm sure they're fine."

"You think they think we ditched them?"

"Nah. I gave 'em fifty bucks and told them to have a good time at the show."

Casey stopped walking. "You gave them fifty dollars and told them to leave?"

"Uh, yeah," Alec said sarcastically. "Why else would I give them money?"

"You could've bought me something nice with fifty dollars," she playfully smacked his shoulder.

Alec cringed under the imagined pain of the hit. After another laugh, he took one last gulp of his soda and threw it in a near by trash dispenser. "You want something nice? Okay, I'll get you something nice. Close your eyes."

Casey's lips went up on both sides, and she closed her eyes.

"You're not peaking, are you?"

"Nope."

She kept her eyes closed.

"You can look now."

Casey continued to look at the darkness of her eyelids. "No, really. I want you to get me something nice."

"I did. Open your eyes."

Her eyelids slid up to see a single red rose. Alec smiled and placed it into her hands. The young woman looked in disbelief at the wonderful gift. "Where did you get this? I had my eyes closed for like two seconds."

"What can I say?" He shrugged very nonchalantly. "I'm just talented like that."

She brought the beautiful red flower up to her nose and let the aroma flow. She couldn't help but smile. With a nudge, she beckoned the man to continue walking. Together they walked down the sidewalk of Time Square. Amongst the large river of people. In the lights of the city. In the dark of night.

* * *

Jessica slowly made her way down the hallway of Wayne's hotel suite towards the room he had given them. She was very much frustrated and downhearted from the inability to help the rock star. It was different for her to actually have the means to save someone and yet still be unable to do so. She looked down at her hands. She wriggled them, reassuring herself that the problem was not her own. Still, her mind dwelled on the matter. Making her frustrated even more.

After taking out the key card and inserting it into the lock, the door opened with a click. As soon as she entered, a tantalizing scent seeped into her nose. With the door wide open, she curiously looked around the contents of the hotel living room.

It was something out of her dreams.

In the middle of the room stood her husband. Dressed with his finely pressed black suit and a tie to match. Shiny black shoes and a red rose between his fingers. A smile formed across his face. Jessica took a step forward and slowly closed the door behind her. She looked around in wonderment, all previous worries and frustrations leaving her mind, and eyed the fantastic presentation he had set up for her.

The entire room was illuminated with candlelight. Little flashing flames that flickered back and forth. Casting their soft shadows on the walls. Behind him, near the bay window, was a table. A beautiful crème colored sheet covered the top. Two long candles of wax gave its flame. It was set with a delicious looking dinner, complete with creatively shaped napkins and a bucket of wine on ice.

"What's all this?" she asked in awe.

"Surprise."

She walked closer to him, still looking at the wonderful things around her. "A surprise? For what?"

"Our anniversary."

She beamed with happiness. Her body fell into his arms and she kissed him. David showed the rose. "Your favorite flower?"

"Oh, thank you," Jessica couldn't stop smiling.

"Follow me, Madame," he said giving her his arm.

She locked her arm with his. He guided her to the table and pulled out the seat. After sitting down, David went around to the other side and took his. The ice in the bucket slid over each other as he pulled out the bottle of wine.

"Wine?" he asked.

"Please," she responded.

The two glasses were filled with the flowing red drink. They both took their respective cups and took a sip. Jessica placed her glass on the tabletop. She looked at the person in front of her. Her hand moved a lock of hair out of her eyes and behind the ear.

David smiled.

She smiled.

"This… this is amazing, David."

"Do you like it?"

"I do."

"It could've been better… but the concert incident postponed everything... so I had to improvise."

"It's wonderful. Thank you."

David grinned. "Well, I think we should enjoy this delicious looking dinner."

"Oh, wow, everything looks so good. Did you cook?"

"Actually, you should complement the chief of room service. Sorry."

Jessica laughed. "I don't care who made the food. As long as it's for me."

David smiled. "Everything I do is for you."

The two shared a smile and a silent conversation. She looked into his eyes. His kindness shone through them. The ends of her lips still wouldn't go down. A slight chuckle of joy escaped her mouth. They continued the night by eating the dinner that had been provided by the room service.

David finished his meal and happily watched his wife. She daintily ate her last piece food. She smiled again and whispered the three best words of affection. He said them back and stood up.

"May I have this dance?" he said, opening his hand to her.

Jessica looked around. "You may… but there's no music."

David clapped his hands and music began playing. She listened to the melodic tones of the music. "This is our wedding song, isn't it?"

"Just the way you look tonight," he sang along with the lyrics.

David took her hand and spun her around into the middle of the room. He held her close and looked into her eyes. The soft pearls of her face. She moved her arms around his neck and kissed him. Their bodies swayed back and forth with the music. Together they moved in each other's arms. Amongst the sound of music. In the lights of the candles. In the dark of night.

* * *

Casey stepped out of the taxicab followed by Alec. He gave the driver the money owed. She waited on the sidewalk for him to pay. After the yellow automobile drove away, he accompanied her and they continued their walk down the sidewalk.

"You didn't have to walk me home, you know," she said.

"I know," he replied. "But I wanted to."

They walked side by side towards the apartments she lived in. Silently, they moved in unison. The moon hung in the darkened heavens. It lit up the sky with a silver hue. A cold gust of wind rushed between the two of them and Casey huddled closer to the High School Senior.

After a short walk they arrived at the door to the building. Casey left the young man's side and took out her keys. Alec stood alone on the sidewalk. The lock on the door clicked and it opened. The young woman turned around and smiled at the boy on the sidewalk.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening."

Alec smiled back and nodded. "It was my pleasure."

She turned around and walked into the apartment complex. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the fourth button to the second floor. After a short wait, the doors slid open and she headed to the room. Bringing out her keys, she unlocked the door and walked in.

The room was completely empty... and dark. The lights had been turned off but there was no sign of her mother or her brother. Throwing her current surroundings in the back of her mind, Casey walked over to the living room window. She peaked out and saw Alec waiting on the sidewalk.

Casey opened it up and leaned her head out. "What are you still doing out there?"

"I wanted to say good night," he smiled. "Good night."

She smiled back. "Good night," and waved her hand. He returned the wave and left the scene. She waited by the open window and watched him leave. After a dreamy sigh, she closed the window.

She turned around.

A bald man stood in front of her. He looked of Haitian decent, but his facial features were hard to see. His body was completely covered in the darkness of shadow. A strange necklace glistened in the moonlight.

Casey screamed in fright. "Who are you?"

The Haitian walked forward and grabbed her arm. In panic, she kicked her leg and pushed the man away. She ran to the window and flung it open. "Alec! Alec! Help!"

The dark man grabbed her arms and pulled her body away from the window. No sound came out of his mouth. She kicked and screamed, trying to make as much noise as she could. Tears streamed out of her eyes and down her cheeks.

Alec ran around the corner back to the apartment. He heard Casey yell his name. He heard her screams for help. He looked up at the open window. Her voice pierced the night sky.

"Casey!"

Her ears perked up when Alec's voice made its way to her ears. She tried to fight the hold. She called out again. "Help! Call the police! I'm being kidnapped! Alec!"

He ran to the apartment door and tried to open it. The locked entrance would not budge. He cursed and slammed his fist into the glass.

Casey yelled again. "Run away, Alec! Call the police!"

"Casey!" he yelled into the sky.

She tried to warn her friend again, but was quickly silenced. Her body went limp in the strong arms of The Haitian. After removing his hands from her forehead, he opened the door to the apartment and left.

"How have we come to what we are now? Humans started to experience life as we all experience it now from the beginning of time it seems. We, as humans, live in a world of fierce duality. Life and death. Poor and wealthy. Pain and pleasure. Good and evil. And much of our lives are spent not wanting to die. To be poor. To experience pain. But that's life. How can we change what is irreversible?" – Mohinder Suresh

Alec shook the unresponsive door. Her screams could no longer be heard. The open window would not speak a word. Slowly, he stepped away from the door, keeping his eyes on the window. He waited for a sign that everything was okay. That everything was fine. But the only sign he received was the low howl of the cold wind through the neighboring alleys.

He looked around in vain. And sped down to the nearest police station.

* * *

Continued...

Thank you for reading and please review!


	15. Lost

**disclaimer:** All characters associated with HEROES belong to NBC and the creator of HEROES in the first place.

**note to reader:** paragraphs completely in _italics_ are dream sequences.

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The High School Junior was abducted by a mysterious man. The FBI Agent met a strange janitor and is slowly discovering her gift. After the rock star was attacked by a Rogue Assassin, he was put into a deep sleep. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER SIX "LOST"

Her eyes opened.

She was in a room. There was a bright blue light that hung on the ceiling. It covered the walls with its eerie glow. Slowly, her vision cleared. A strange device was on her forehead, and various wires were attached to her body. A low beeping sound followed the pumping of her heart and echoed across the corners of the indigo colored area. She tried to move, but she was held down by restraints. Her fingers grabbed at the sheet underneath her body, trying anything to find a means of escape.

"Sometimes Questions are more powerful than answers. How is this happening? What are they? Why them, and not others? Why Now? What does it all mean?" – Mohinder Suresh

A man came into her line of sight. He had brown hair and a soft, friendly face. His horned-rimmed glasses rested upon the bridge of his nose. A peculiar smile occupied his face. "Hello," he said.

Casey breathed in deeply. "Is this a hospital? Am I hurt?"

"You're fine," he replied.

"Where…" she groggily let out, "where's my family?"

"They're fine."

She closed her eyes and tried to remember the events that brought her to the strange place. " I… I was at my house. Talking to Alec... when… that man! He- he attacked me."

"We had to put you unconscious because you becoming a hassle," he answered her implied question. "Sorry about that."

"What?" She pulled at her arm restraints once again, trying in vain to break free. "What's going on?"

"Please don't get excited, Casey. We're trying to test you resting rate."

She strained to break the holds around her wrists. But nothing would give.

"Let me out of here! What do you want with me?"

He leaned forward. "You're a very special person, Casey. I just want to understand you better."

Silently, she wished to melt away. To disappear from the horrible place she was in. With as much concentration as she could muster, she tried to disappear. For the first time, she wanted to use her gift. To melt away. To turn into water and escape. But she couldn't. She opened her eyes in shock.

The man shook his head. "While my friend is around, you can't use your gift. You see, he's special too."

The Haitian man stepped closer to the observatory bed that the young woman laid upon.

"Help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Help!"

"That's not going to do anything either. Everything you see... by tomorrow it won't matter," the man with Horned-Rimmed Glasses said as he walked away.

Little tears fell out of her eyes. Fear overcame her body.

"Go deep. Clean her out."

The dark skinned man walked forward. He took his strange necklace between his fingers and kissed it. Casey struggled to get out. With every ounce of strength, she kicked and pulled. But all was in vanity. The Haitian looked into her eyes and slowly brought his hand. Covering her eyes.

(Sarah White – New York City, New York)

The morning star rose into a dark grey sky. Little droplets of water fell from the heavens in an unpredicted pattern. The rain fell as sprinkles before allowing the sun to peak through a gap in the clouds. Settling in was the fall weather. Cold gusts of wind occupied the city and soared between the pedestrians on the street.

In the FBI Missing Unit Person head office, Sarah White sat at her desk. The other agents were busy with their cases and other important duties they had to attend to. A few stopped by to wave and say hello to the woman, but most went about their urgent business. The sounds of conversation. The clacking of the keyboard.

She sat in her chair, writing her report on the New York City Zoo incident. It didn't seem possible. It didn't seem real. She wrote the events that took place, shaking her head in disbelief the entire time. "He picked up the car with his right arm and threw it at me," she said to herself, remembering every detail of that day. "Like it was a baseball… and he…flew." She paused. "He flew."

She stopped writing. Her eyes went to her hand. She wriggled the pen between her fingers, pondering further about the incident. After readjusting her seat, her attention drew back to her paper. She sighed. "And then there was the tiger…" Her hand brushed through the dirty blonde hair. "I know it hit me. No matter what that policeman said. It hit me and crushed its face… somehow. I _know_ it did."

She slammed her fist into the desk out of frustration. The wooden top cracked under the unknown strength. Sarah's eyes opened wide and removed her fist from the small crater in the middle of the tabletop. She looked at her fist and brought her palms together.

Her skin had become as dense as rock.

(Wayne Rockwell – New York City, New York)

Inside the hotel suite, a single ray of light came into the darkness. Every window had its drapes shut to keep the room a cool temperature. It was completely empty. Fans spun in circles in the vacancy. Low cries of terror and anxiety slipped out from the closed door of the bedroom.

Sweat rolled down his face. His cheeks were red. His eyes were tightly closed. Wayne yelled incomprehensible sayings of confusion out of his mouth. From a spectators view, he looked as if he was having a bad nightmare. A nightmare that the mind had created. The rock star turned in his bed. Reacting in his sleep to the strange images that haunted him.

_His feet pounded on the ground. The sleek metal surface never made him lose his balance. Swiftly, his body slid in and out of the shadows, around dark figures. Following behind him was another individual. They stopped at a corner of the rocking boat. Slowly the young man leaned over the edge and checked to see if the coast was clear. The corner turned left into a long hallway. A camera oscillated in the middle of the ceiling a few meters away. Wayne looked back at his accomplice and nodded his head. A nod was returned. Once again his leaned over. He pointed his finger at the camera. A precise pinpoint laser beam shot out and destroyed the object. The two quickly ran down the hallway. Undetected._

He stirred in his bed. Trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Trying to make sense of the pictures in his head.

_Wayne stood still, looking at his reflection in a body of liquid. It was a younger version of him. His hair fell past his eyes and hung over them like a veil. A trench coat was draped over his average frame. He looked intently at his likeness in the water. Next to him was a man. The man nodded his head and spoke inaudible words. Wayne nodded as well and left his reflection. A car waited for them. The young man looked up at the magnificent structure known as the Washington Monument. He smiled before getting in and driving away._

Hot sweat ran down his face. And the nightmares continued.

* * *

The phone rang.

Sarah picked it up.

"White, Get into my office."

She hung up and got out of her chair, making her way to the boss' office. Before opening the door, she looked down at her hand. It had turned back into its normal mass and density by itself. Without warning, it had changed back, just as it had changed from. With another sigh, she grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open.

Miss Aston, the boss, was in her leather chair writing something down. Sarah walked in and stood in front of the desk. The boss continued to write, ignoring the person who had just walked in. Her pen scribbled back and forth across desk. Little etchings in the white sheet of paper. Sarah lingered, impatiently waiting to be recognized.

After a long wait, she cleared her throat in an attempt to grab her attention.

"I know you're there, White," Miss Aston said dryly.

"Why'd you call me in?"

"I have a case for you," she spoke up. Her eyes never left the paper.

Sarah took a seat. "Really? What is it?"

"There was an kidnapping. The victim is a Casey Walker." She pushed a manila folder towards the FBI Agent. "She was abducted this morning at 1:30 in her apartment. From our sources, she wasn't alone. She was accompanied by a friend named… um, Alec Lions. Now, he was the one who made the call to the police about her abduction in the first place."

"Where is he now?"

"He's at the Police Station."

Sarah pushed her chair back to get up, trying to keep her joy in. "I'll get right on it."

The boss nodded her head indifferently and continued writing. Sarah walked out of the door, a smile on her face. After grabbing her dark blazer, she headed out of the building towards the Police Station.

* * *

A boy waited in a chair. He nervously twitched in his seat and watched the various officers pass by. He looked around his surroundings. Fliers on the bulletin board. Phones ringing. Police Officers conversing. He gave an aggravated sigh. "When's that guy gonna come talk to me?"

Sarah watched from afar. Because he was still legally a minor, she decided to approach him her own way and throw the book on interrogations out the window. One thing she hated was lawyers. Even if this situation didn't call for one, one could never be safe around minors.

She stood next to a water cooler and sipped at her cup. She wanted to size the young man up before talking to him. She noticed that he was very fidgety. She had walked in not half an hour earlier and already noticed that he was pretty impatient. And he was bruised in the face... or more specifically in the eye. It was strange. He reminded her of herself in an odd way.

After finishing her cup and throwing it away, she headed over to him. They made eye contact.

"Alec Lions?" she asked, even though she already knew who he was.

He nodded his head. "Who are you?"

"I'm Agent White."

He raised an eye-brow. "Oh…um, I thought… never mind."

"You thought I was going to be a man."

"Yeah."

He awkwardly stood up and opened his hand in greeting. Sarah professionally shook his hand and gestured for him to follow. "Alec, I want you to tell me everything that you know."

Sarah walked ahead of him. Although she had a task to attend to, she still could not stop thinking about what had happened at her desk. She glanced down at her hand. It was powerful. The strange ability that she had. In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to find out what really was happening to her, to find an answer to the questions she was looking for.

Sarah pushed open the double doors and went down the granite steps. They walked down to her car, which was parked near the front. The FBI Agent sat down on the hood and Alec stood opposite of the woman.

"Well?" she asked forcefully.

"What?"

"Tell me everything you remember from the incident."

"Oh," he said. "I, uh, took her to her apartment. She said good-bye to me and I left. Then I heard her yell my name, so I came back. She kept saying 'help', but I couldn't get to her."

"Why?"

"The apartment door was locked."

"How could you hear her yelling for help?"

"She opened the window."

Sarah nodded her head. The information being stored in her mind.

"Then she started telling me to run away and to call the police."

"So you ran away."

"I didn't run away," Alec growled. "I did what she told me to do. And… you can find her, can't you?"

"I'll do my best. Where were her mother and brother when all of this happened?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

"I'll have to look into that too," she replied nodding her head.

A brief pause between the two hung in the air. Each person reflected on the current situation.

She cleared her throat and asked one last question: "Is that it?"

"Uh, yeah. That's it."

Sarah got up and headed for driver's side. "Well, I'm going to investigate at her apartment. Give me a call if you find out any other information. You have my number."

She opened the door and stepped into her car. Alec rushed around to the driver's side and tapped on the glass. The window rolled down. Sarah looked into the young man's face.

"Will you call _me_ if you find anything?" he asked sincerely.

"Um…sure."

"She means a lot to me."

Sarah nodded her head. "Okay."

A soft smile went across his face. Sarah looked into his eyes. He wasn't nervous and impatient like she had seen from him before. His eyes spoke kindness. It showed hope. A smile went across her face as well. She rolled up the window and joined the other cars on the road.

Alec stood on the sidewalk. Watching the automobile and the person who could find Casey drive down the street and out of site. A cold breeze blew through his hair. He pulled his hood over his head. Tears from the clouds fell upon the earth. On the boy who walked alone.

* * *

Wayne tossed and turned. Raindrops slammed against the glass of the windowpane, making a rhythmic beat to the thunderstorm in the man's tormented mind.

_A man stood in front of him. The figure was cornered. With no way to go. Looking to the left and to the right, three other individuals joined Wayne in to surround the shadowy figure. Wayne looked at the person before him. There was something in his eyes. Aggression. Anger. Confusion. _

_The answer lies in silence_

_Wayne looked up at the Washington Monument. The immense tribute the first president of the United States. He reached out and touched the cold and rigid surface. He dragged his fingers down the exterior of it and to the foot of the base. He tapped the ground twice._

_The answers lie in silence_

_The rock star looked around. He was in a dark room. Blackness. He tried to move, but something was keeping his body still. He tried to yell but no sound came out of his mouth. A single light shone down on a single man. He held a syringe in his hand. Only pain._

"Aahh!"

Wayne opened his eyes. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead into his eyes, making his vision blurred. The dark room rippled along with the sliding water down the window. His fingers rubbed the sweat out of his eyes and he quickly sat up. His gaze drifted across the bedroom to the outside. The strange nightmares drifting in his mind.

Quickly, he pulled off the covers and rushed to the bathroom. Cold water gushed out of the faucet. His hands filled with the chilly liquid. He splashed water on his face and stared into his mirrored reflection. A sigh released from his mouth. Head hung low. Hair across his eyes. Breath escaping from his lungs.

"The answer lies in silence," he whispered to himself.

He closed his eyes and tried to forget the nightmares.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	16. Lonely Soul

Special thanks for my beta: E for Emma

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The nurse who can miraculously heal people. The mental patient that took revenge on the person who had done her wrong. The High School Senior who is searching for a lost friend. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER SEVEN "LONELY SOUL"

"What is the mind? Our very intelligence and intellect comes from the knowledge that it consumes. The utilization of our brain is limitless. Yet, there are still mysteries. Things incomprehensible and left unsolved. Like many of these obscurities, it comes back to one thing: human imperfection." - Mohinder Suresh

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York)

Another day had come and gone. The morning star passed in the sky and back again. In the large metropolis known as New York City, the days constantly ran closely together. Another day for work. Another day for school. Everyone woke up early to go to his or her respective job or place of education.

Everyone except for the mental patient.

Dawn huddled in the body of the janitor. She held her arms and looked at her surroundings. A dark alley. The woman in the janitor's body did not have a home. Oddly enough, she did not feel the need to use her newfound body to find one. Just the fact that she would not wake up in the white room again was enough. Still though, there was the missing piece in her life. An unknown void that she didn't know how to fill.

The rank smell of overturned trashcans caused her to cover her nose with her sleeve. After looking around at nothing in particular, she brought her knees to her chest. A litter of rats feasted on the remains of what could only be another dead creature. She quickly looked away.

"Who would've guessed?" she said to herself. Quickly she looked up at the sky and said to the people reading about her life. "Are you still there? Who would have thought that I would be sleeping in an alley…? Pretty pathetic, isn't it?"

She stood up slowly, dusting off her clothes. Her feet hovered above the ground and she lifted off into the sky to enjoy another day of freedom. Another day of life.

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

A lone boy sat in an empty hallway. His backpack was propped limply against his legs. He wore a light jacket, the one that made a soft swishing noise when he moved. He leaned back against the whiteness of the high school hallway walls. A soft tapping slid down the corridor from the tips of his fingers as he tapped the floor at a rhythmic beat.

He waited next to the door of his first period class. Unlike every other day, Alec didn't feel like hanging out with a few of his friends before school started. His mind was on his phone. Waiting for it to ring. Waiting for the FBI Agent to say that she found her. That everything was all right. He closed his eyes and thought about the outrageous night.

"Who would kidnap Casey?" he whispered to himself.

As far as anything was concerned, no one needed to know about her disappearance. He had already come up with a few excuses for those who would ask about her whereabouts. Only he, the FBI Agent and Justin knew about Casey's disappearance. He didn't know where the rest of her family was. Whether or not they knew about her absence was meaningless to the sad boy. All he wanted was to see her face again, to tell her how he felt.

The gentle sound of footsteps approached. Alec opened his eyes.

"Hey there, Alec," said the person walking up.

"Hi, Mr. Krause," he mumbled back.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for the door to open."

The teacher looked around. "School hasn't even started yet."

"I know."

"Uh… okay," Mr. Krause said as he brought out his keys and opened the door. He walked in and beckoned his student to come in.

Alec stood up and walked inside. He trudged over to his seat: third seat from the back, second row from the teacher's desk. The backpack fell to the ground with a loud thump. It echoed in the little room. He folded his arms across the desk, dropping his head into them. He exhaled noisily in his frustration.

Mr. Krause turned on his computer to check his e-mail. Glancing over at the young man, he chuckled to himself. "You know, I think this is the first time you've been early to my class."

Alec muttered something inaudible.

Mr. Krause's skinny index finger gingerly pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. Something about the student's body language told the teacher that something was bothering him. After a long mental debate on whether or not to say anything, Mr. Krause decided to let him be.

Alec remained where he was. And the clicking of the keyboard keys filled in the silence.

(Jessica Donner – New York City, New York)

The nurse stood at the reception desk. All around her, people complained and cried about the pain they had. There was always something. People with colds. People with the flu. Those with broken arms. Others worried about the latest food scare. One by one they came up to the desk and signed in.

Jessica looked at each individual person. She could feel the pain that plagued them. It was a strange sensation. She had to concentrate to really feel what everybody felt, but even when she wasn't there were still some residual energy left to grasp. She looked down at her hand. She had the ability to help them. She could heal them. But the words of her husband drifted in the back of her subconscious. The words of caution.

Slowly, she left the reception desk and down the hallway to the break room. Jessica knew that her husband was right. Using her ability in public was too risky. _What if_ someone found out about her? _What _would they do? She didn't know. And she didn't want to find out. But still, she silently wished that she could use her God-given talent to help others.

She quietly peeked into the doorway to see who was inside the break room. Not that it mattered much, but she wanted to have a break with someone she knew. Her friend, Tiffany, was sitting at the table drinking some coffee. The blonde-haired woman looked up from a magazine she was flipping through and smiled.

"Hey, Tiff, can I join you?" the nurse asked with a smile

"Sure," she replied, closing the magazine.

Jessica went to the coffee machine and drew herself a cup. After putting the right additives into the dark colored liquid, she made her way to the table and sat down. "So, how was your weekend?"

Tiffany smiled, "You never would have guessed what happened."

"What?"

"I met the cutest guy ever."

Jessica smiled. "That's great, Tiff. Where'd you meet him?"

"Well, I went to this place with Nicole and Taryn… you know them right?"

"Um, yeah."

"Anyway, we went to this bar-slash-lounge place. I don't even remember the name of it. But it was fun. We had a few drinks and that's where I met him."

"At a bar?"

"Yup."

"What's his name?"

"Bob. Bob… something. Um, it's on the tip of my tongue…" She bit her bottom lip, trying to remember the person she had met.

Jessica patiently blew on her coffee and took a sip.

Tiffany sighed in frustration. "I can't remember his name. It's… Bob… Robot. Or something like that."

"Robot?"

"Well, I know it's not Robot, but it sounded like that. I remember 'cause when he told me I said: 'Robot?' and he was all: 'No it's-'." She paused again. "Darn, I can't remember his name."

Jessica laughed. "So you met Bob Robot at a bar this weekend."

"I'll find out his name tonight. I'm seeing him again."

"Don't forget where you're supposed to meet him," she teased.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," she sarcastically scoffed. "So… enough about me. What did _you_ do this weekend?"

A smile went across the nurse's lips. Her cheeks blushed as the images of that wonderful night flooded back into her mind. "We celebrated our anniversary."

"But… I thought your anniversary was, like, a week ago."

"It was. But the incident at the concert postponed the actual anniversary surprise."

"So the concert _was_ just a ploy."

"Yeah."

"I was right."

"Yeah."

"Well," Tiffany began, lifting her cup for a toast, "I think it's only right to raise my glass to the cutest couple who are married ever seen-"

She quickly brought her cup up and the hot coffee flew out onto her hand. She screamed in shock and pain. The coffee mug fell to the tabletop with a clattering crash. Pushing her chair back, she quickly got up and began jumping up and down in a frantic jig of agony.

Jessica shot out of her chair. She could sense where the pain was and how badly damaged her friend was. Subtly, she grabbed her wrist. "How bad is it?"

Tiffany slowly breathed in and slowly breathed out. "I don't know. How does it look?"

The nurse quickly let her energy out onto the burn and healed it. She tactfully put it underneath the valve of the sink and turned on the cool water. "Keep it under the faucet. It should be good as new in no time."

Her friend gave a sigh of relief. "Wow, It doesn't even hurt anymore. I guess putting it under cold water helps."

"Uh, yeah."

"Thanks."

Jessica smiled and began to leave the room. "No problem, Tiff. I gotta go. Hope your date with Bob goes well."

Tiffany said her farewells as the nurse walked out of the break room. A smile on her face. She had never used her special gift on another human before. But it was successful. And she felt good.

A man on a rolling cot passed by. Jessica, with a grin on her face, gently touched the man and continued walking. Unbelievable power flowed out of her body. Helping people is what she did for a living. And healing people was now a part of that life.

* * *

Dawn was careful not to let anybody see her when she flew.

Dawn was even more careful not to let anybody see her when she landed.

Quickly, she descended from the heavens and down to the top of a very large hotel building. The fall breeze was strong on top of the concrete giant. Large metal letters resided on the side of it spelling the name of the hotel itself. A grin of glee slid across the mental patient's face as she waltzed across the rooftop, free to do whatever she wanted

Dawn went over to the edge and inspected the height of the building. Like the view from the Empire State Building, the pedestrians on the street looked like tiny insects. There were so many stories. Silently, she tried to count down to ground level in her head. The base of the building was made of brick. The body was a crème yellowish color and thousands of windows occupied practically every space in it. It was a magnificent piece of architecture. Her feet guided her across the edge. Looking at every view possible.

The woman whistled in awe at the large spectacle.

She came to the side of the hotel that faced towards the city, opposite of where the sign was. She peered downwards and saw maintenance workers fixing a broken window.

The smaller of the two began wriggling back and forth in a humorous fashion. Dawn concluded that he needed to use the restroom. He said something inaudible to the other and delicately walked off of the platform and into the large room.

A man's voice from the inside could be heard from where she was standing. "How could something like this happen?"

The large worker shrugged. "It is one heck of a mystery. The broken glass on this side suggests that the attacker came in through the window from the outside, but… it doesn't make sense."

The man inside the hotel room spoke again. "Well… Wayne told me to tell you guys to only fix the glass. He told me we were going to leave pretty soon anyway."

The large man laughed and started back to his work.

Dawn grinned. Mischievously, she took a coin out of her pocket and dropped it on the worker's head.

He looked up.

She smiled. "Hello there."

"What the hell?" he said, a little bit startled. "How'd you get up there?"

"I flew."

The man didn't believe it. "Get down from there."

"Okay," she said, with a grin on her face.

Her body slowly rose off of the surface. She hung in space. Upon nothing. The worker's eyes grew with shock. With a final look at the floating woman, his eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted. The welder in his hand fell to the bottom of the suspended platform and turned on. A strong flame burned away at the cables.

Dawn smiled at her joke and glided back to the rooftop. Oblivious to the repercussions.

A loud crashing sound came to her ears. It sounded like a snapping cable. She went back and looked over the edge. Coils of the metal cables slowly unraveled as the heat tore through them like tissue paper.

The worker was unconscious.

The cable snapped.

The right side of the platform fell. Rocking it violently back and forth. But the left side was still connected to the hotel roof. It swung unevenly from one side to the other. The tool fell to the ground several stories below. The worker's body slowly slid down towards the edge, taunting gravity. Dawn watched. Unclear of what to do.

Suddenly, a man reached out and grabbed the crate with one arm. With incredible strength he pulled it towards him. With his free hand he took hold of the worker. He threw him over his shoulder and let go of the large platform.

Dawn opened her mouth in shock.

"That platform must have weighed a ton… and... and he picked it up with one arm…" she whispered to herself. "I've found another special person like me."

The man disappeared into the hotel room only to reappear and bring the swinging piece of metal to a safe position. He glanced upward. The two people made eye contact. For a split second he saw her. And she saw him.

Quickly, she ducked behind the parapet. Perplexed. Confused. And amazed.

"It was the man!" she exclaimed. "It was the man at the concert that I shot! I found him."

* * *

Alec laid his head on the table and closed his eyes. The bell had rung and students were already making their way into the classroom. The entire time he was in the room with his teacher, he said nothing. There was nothing to say.

A few of his friends walked by and patted him on the back, prompting him to lift his head and give them props. He looked at the individuals that passed by. There were the jocks. The losers. The cheerleaders. The emo kids. Everyone in the elective class he knew. But the one person he wanted to see did not walk through the door.

The late bell rung.

Mr. Krause finished whatever he was doing on the computer and walked up to the front of the classroom. "Alright people, let's get started with our day. How was everyone's weekend?"

The cheerleaders all started talking at once. A few of the jocks shouted a few things. Someone spent time with relatives outside of town. Others saw an exciting movie. The general public did 'nothing'. Alec remained quiet, listening to the chatter of the students around him.

"Okay," said Mr. Krause. "I just wanted to say thanks for meeting me in my classroom and remembering your seating chart like I asked before the weekend started. We'll be doing this from now on. I think it's a little more organized. Well, it seems like everyone's weekend was fairly exciting."

"You have no idea," the young man cynically said under his breath.

"Well, I better take roll."

Alec listened to every name. Arbollo. Antolinni. Baxter. Ericson. Falls. Closer and closer the teacher got to the W's. He dreaded the moment Mr. Krause would get to them. Each name was called. He put his head down again. Trying fruitlessly to escape the situation.

The door opened.

"In the ultimate situation of anonymity, there is only so much our mind can handle. There is only so much that can be revealed to us. But our potential is limitless. We _must_ press on. And we _must_ allow the _mind_ find the answers." – Mohinder Suresh

Mr. Krause turned his head. "Oh, hello Miss Walker. You're late today."

"Sorry, Mr. Krause. I woke up late… it won't happen again."

Alec's head shot up. "Casey?"

The young woman smiled awkwardly at the class that stared back at her. After a few waves at her friends, she silently made her way to her seat before the teacher continued with the roll call.

The High School Senior looked at the girl. He couldn't believe his eyes.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	17. Nothing Left To Say

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma.

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The High School Senior has been met with a surprise. The High School Junior mysteriously reappeared without any knowledge of her abduction. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER EIGHT "NOTHING LEFT TO SAY"

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. These famous words by a brilliant man can have more meaning to our_ lives_ than it does to science. When a situation presents itself we must make a choice. And that choice will set off a series of events that will define us, that will display what _we_ are made of. To run. To disappear. To change and adapt. What will we do? What will be the repercussions? It's our _choice..._" - Mohinder Suresh

(Casey Walker – New York City, New York)

She sat down at her desk. Her eyes glanced across the classroom. Everyone talked at the same time. Their words slurred together into incoherent speech. The sounds of the room gave her a headache. A throbbing pain at the side of her forehead that never subsided. Fingers pressed against her temples, trying desperately to make the headache go away.

"Where did this headache come from?" she said, holding her head.

The class continued to increase in volume. An odd sensation went through her body, similar to what she had felt in the pool the day she had completely turned into water. But the tingling was different. It wasn't welcomed. It wasn't what she expected. Her eyes glanced down to her shaking hands. Drops of water fell upon the desk.

"Oh no," she whispered to herself. "Not now."

Casey quickly looked around to see if anybody saw her melting body. But the class was concentrating on their own problems. The teacher was busy looking over some papers. She stuck her head down on the desk, wishing that her body would stay together. Wishing that her body wouldn't turn into water.

A voice broke the confusion. "Casey?"

She looked up. It was Alec. He smiled. As did she, water falling from her eyes. "Oh, hi."

"Why are you crying?"

Gently wiping away the falling liquid, she shook her head. "I'm not crying. I'm just… I, uh, have a headache and it's not going away."

The High School Senior kneeled down and came closer. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Alec. I'm fine." Slowly the headache faded. Her body gradually reconstructed itself into flesh. She took a deep breath and smiled at the young man.

He looked into her eyes, pupils darting back and forth. He searched for something. For what, she didn't know. Casey looked back, not knowing what else to do. Finally, he leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "How did you escape?"

"What?" she asked, a little startled. She gave a little chuckle. "What are you talking about?"

"How did you escape?" he repeated, his voice just above a whisper. "Are they coming after you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You were kidnapped… don't you remember?"

"Kidnapped? When?"

"Two nights ago. I walked you back to your apartment and… you were kidnapped," he said.

"I think I would have remembered that."

"What did you do yesterday?"

She opened her mouth to answer but stopped. She remembered walking around the city with him. She remembered going to her house. But everything after that was a blank. A dark face occupied a space of memory but it was too blurry to call it a memory. She didn't know if she had dreamt up a dark skinned bald man or not.

Alec repeated his question. "What did you do yesterday?"

"I… don't remember."

He looked at the young woman. Confused. "Wait," he said. "So you don't remember where you were or what you did yesterday?"

She began to become frightened. "I… I don't remember anything after you dropped me off at home."

Alec slowly stood up. A smile on his lips. "Well, I'm glad you're okay."

Casey couldn't reply.

He left and made his way to his seat. The conversation seemingly ended abruptly. Leaving the shocked and confused girl to her thoughts. She closed her eyes and lowered her head into her palms. Mr. Krause beckoned everyone to calm down as he began his lesson.

(Alec Lions – New York City, New York)

The High School Senior walked through the opening of the crosshatched metal gates. The school bell had rung, signaling the end of the day for the students. The large student body flooded out of the campus grounds, more than happy to be out. He stood out among the rest. He had started the day depressed and sad. Seven and half hours before, he was wondering where his friend was and if she was safe. He walked away at the end of the day with full knowledge that Casey was safe. But still the mystery remained. What happened to her? Where did she go? Why couldn't she remember?

Alec heard her familiar voice. He turned around and saw her call a taxi. She caught sight of his gaze and returned it with a wave. He nodded his head in recognition. With a sigh, he watched the yellow automobile drive away. He re-shouldered his backpack and backed away, keeping an eye on the taxicab that slowly drove farther and farther down the road.

"Was that Casey?" a voice said from behind.

Alec turned around. It was his friend Justin. He nodded his head, still keeping his eye on the car. "Yup. She's back."

"How?"

"I don't know. It's like she just popped out of nowhere."

Justin scratched the back of his head. "Maybe you just imagined her being kidnapped. Were you on something that day?"

The young man shook his head, totally missing the joke. "No. But even if I was, it wouldn't explain why she doesn't remember anything from yesterday."

"I could be nothing," Justin said. "I mean, come on, dude, _I_ don't even know what I did yesterday."

He turned around and slightly chuckled. "Well, you're the exception."

They continued walking down the street, Justin talking all the while. "I will admit that this whole scenario is weird, though. I mean, you wouldn't just make all that stuff up. Besides that, you called the police. They got you a Missing Person's Agent on the job. They don't just casually send out those people."

"I _know_ I didn't imagine everything."

"Hey, um, now that Casey's back…" he began, changing the subject slightly, "are you going to call the FBI Agent?"

Alec pulled out his cellular phone. "Oh right. I should probably tell her that she can get off the case." He dialed the number and put it the device up to his ear. "Hello? Yeah, hi. Um… I don't really know how to put this, but she's back... No, yeah, I'm talking about Casey. She came back sometime from yesterday and today... She was in my first period class... Yeah, I just saw her leave in a taxi… Really? That's weird. Anyway, the reason why I called is to tell you that you can, um, drop the case. Or do whatever you do now that she's not missing anymore... Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I really want to thank you, though, for all of your help… Okay… Yeah… Bye."

Justin patiently waited next to the chain-link fence. He released a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "So, uh… what now?"

* * *

The apartment door opened. Casey walked in, holding her head, once again trying to ease the pain in her mind. The headache had returned. She grabbed the door handle. Trying to balance herself. The pain struck harder. More forcefully on her mental faculties. She strained to walk in a straight line.

The strange and unwelcome sensation returned. She held her hands up to her eyes. Her entire body turned into water. Skin and clothes alike. She fell to the floor. Her liquid body slowly moved across the ground. Trying to regain its formation, but the headache persisted.

Finally she gave up. And collapsed.

The sing-song voice of her mother came up the stairs and into the halls. Her brother happily sung along. The two were returning from another day of school. Jokingly, she sung a bad note, prompting her son to erupt in laughter. They walked up to the apartment door.

Noticing the open doorway, her mother cautiously walked in. "Casey?"

Her brother walked in after her. "Ew, it's Casey's stinky gym bag."

Her mother laughed and casually walked into the living room. "Well, her bag is here so I guess she's around her somewhe- what the heck?" She lifted her shoe out of the body of liquid on the wooden floor. She walked away, half-disgusted. "She can't even be courteous enough to wipe up a small spill."

Her brother walked up to the water and unsuccessfully tried to wipe it up himself.

Suddenly the water moved.

It slid across the floor. He slowly backed away. Scared and nervous as to what was happening. His open mouth twitched with shock. The liquid shook. Soon it began to take shape. Casey's legs. Arms. Hands. Face. She opened her eyes. Her body and clothes were back to normal.

"Oh my God!" said her mother.

Casey quickly stood up. Her mother stood in the kitchen with a roll of paper towels in her hands.

The High School Junior took a step forward. "Mom, I- I can explain."

Her brother yelled at the top of his lungs, "Freak! Freak!"

"Evan!" she turned and faced him. Tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why would you say that?"

"Freak!" he yelled again, running to his mother.

Casey looked back at her mother. The woman looked at her daughter. Unable to say a word. Unable to make a move. She shook her head. And fainted. The young woman looked down at her brother. Even though he was young, she desperately tried to reason to him. "Evan… please, I can explain."

"Freak!" he yelled as he kneeled down to his mother's body.

With tears in her eyes, she quickly turned around and left the building. As fast as her feet could take her, she left the place that could not understand. The headache had faded away. But slowly, so did the love from her family.

* * *

Alec and Justin walked down the street towards a nearby bus stop. Cold winds brushed past the two and through the streets in the city. Strangely, very few cars inhabited the roadways. A traffic light turned red. Justin habitually pressed the Cross-Walk button. The obnoxiously loud beeping noise pulsated with every touch. Alec glared at him in annoyance. He just chuckled and pressed it again.

The cell phone rang and interrupted any further annoyances.

Alec pulled his out of the pocket and put it up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Alec!"

"Casey?"

"Thank God! You were the only person I could think of calling."

"Casey, what's wrong?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm a few blocks from School. What's wrong?"

"It's my family… they- they hate me! They hate me!"

"What? Why?"

She grunted with pain. "This headache is killing me."

"Casey, what's wrong?"

"Meet me at school… I'll come to you."

The phone hung up.

Justin looked at his friend. "What's wrong with Casey?"

Alec looked at the school in the distance. "We have to go back."

* * *

He paced back and forth. His body was never still. Millions of thoughts flew around in his head. There was so much that was happening. He vocally spoke his thoughts. "She sounded… in trouble. Like, something bad happened. But- but she said that her family hated her. Why would they hate her? Sarah said that they weren't even at the apartment when she investigated it yesterday. So they're back… and they hate her. But why?"

"Maybe it has to do with the kidnapping," Justin suggested.

"Maybe."

A yellow taxicab pulled up to the curb. The door flung open and Casey frantically got out. She fumbled with the money before dropping into the passenger window. She held her head. The pain was coming back. Water droplets fell from her hands and her face.

She ran to him and fell into his arms. "Alec, it was horrible."

"What was? Tell me."

Casey buried her face in his strong supportive chest. He held her. She was frightened and scared. All he wanted to do was make her feel better. He hushed her and said that everything was okay. But the girl wouldn't have it.

She shuddered. "I… I have to tell you something. I have to tell you the truth.

Their eyes met. Tears blurred her vision. Alec gently wiped the water away and pushed the lock of hair out of her face. "You can tell me anything," he said.

"There's something happening to me. I can't explain it. And I know this sounds crazy, but, I can… turn into water." As if on cue, her face slowly became transparent. Her hair turned into water. And so did her entire body. It rippled as the cold wind blew by. Liquid dripped down onto the man's arms. She looked at her body, frowning sadly. "I don't know what's happening to me!"

Alec looked at her in shock. The image of his face narrowly reflected through the water. Suddenly, she collapsed onto the concrete. She had completely turned into water. Her form was still distinguishable, but she was half of a puddle. He kneeled down and looked into her eyes.

Justin's mouth was wide open in complete shock. "Holy crap!"

The High School Senior was just as stunned, but he only wanted to see her smile again. Seeing her in such agony was painful to him as well. "It's okay, Casey, it's okay."

She shook her head. "I'm a freak!"

"No. No, you're not."

Suddenly her body reestablished itself into the physical form. Startled, she looked at the fingers of flesh. Her head hung low in misery. "I can't control it, though. It's just happens."

The young man took her into his arms again. He cradled her fragile body and tried his best to make the situation better. "It doesn't matter. Okay? Everything will be fine."

"How can you say that?" she pushed away. "I'm a freak and my family hates me now because of it!"

"They said that? They said that they hate you?"

"Not exactly," she muttered. "But I know that's what they were thinking. I came home from school and I had this enormous headache. And I could feel my body changing into water again. And I did. I couldn't control it. Then Mom and Evan came home and they saw me transform back. Evan called me a freak! A freak! And my mom wouldn't even say anything. She was so shocked she didn't even want to look at me. They didn't have to say that they hated me. I knew they did... So – so there's no way you can say that everything will be fine!"

"Okay, I'm sorry," he apologized. He allowed her to fall back onto his chest and let out her frustration. He glanced over to his friend who could only shrug. Alec kissed her forehead and gently moved her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry."

Casey shook her head. "I'm going to have to run away."

"What?"

"That's the only thing to do. I can't go back home… I don't even have a home anymore."

"Don't talk like that."

"It's true, though." Sadness was in her voice. A sad realization that she was alone. "I have to run away somewhere. I don't know where I'm gonna go, but I have to get out of the city. Away from everything."

Alec nodded his head. "Then I'm running with you."

She looked at him. Speechless.

"You can't run alone. I'm coming with you."

Tears slowly escaped from her eyes. She smiled and continued to rest her head on him. "Where will we go?"

"It doesn't matter. Go home and pack your things. Meet me back here at midnight. We'll leave together."

"What- what about money?"

"Don't worry about it. Okay?"

She nodded her head. She wiped her face and smiled at the man in front of her. He repeated his question and she nodded her head again. They looked at each other. Eyes connecting. Alec leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She closed her eyes. All of her fears and anxieties temporarily disappeared.

He held her face and smiled. "It's going to be okay."

She half laughed and walked to the curb to call a taxi. He remained on the concrete floor, watching her walk away. Looking at the person he felt so deeply for. The yellow automobile pulled up and she stepped in. Before it left, she looked at him and smiled.

* * *

The entire apartment was dark. Every light was off except for one. A lamp near the corner of the living room. Her mother sat on a chair with a cup of tea in her lap. Quietly and solemnly, she sat. Every now and then the cup went up to her mouth. Awkwardly the sound of the sipping drink hung in the air.

The door opened. Casey hesitantly walked into the darkness. The first thing she saw was her mother. She tried to look at her face and see a hint of love. But their eyes didn't meet. Her mother was looking down at her cup of tea. Uncomfortably, she played with the teabag. The girl continued on through the living room to her bedroom.

After quickly packing everything she owned into two large bags, her backpack, and her gym bag, Casey left her bedroom. The soft rolling of the suitcase wheels resonated off of every flat surface. The slight clatter of cup meeting plate broke the echoes. Casey glanced at her mother. But once again she was not returned with her mother's face. Sadly, she continued to the door. The moonlight slipped through the large window. Darkness surrounded the two people.

Suddenly she spoke up. "Am I dreaming?"

Casey turned around. She let the suitcases hang at her sides. She wanted to say everything that she felt. But it wouldn't change anything. Her voice cracked, as she answered. "No. You're not dreaming."

"I... I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

"It's just... it's not possible. This isn't real."

Casey did not know how to respond. A silence soon filled the void. Her mother went back to her tea, nervously playing with her drink. Casey turned to the door and opened it. Before she stepped into the hallway she took a deep breath.

"Do you still love me?"

The question softly left her mouth and traveled over the tension. She did not bother to look at her mother. She asked the question but already knew the answer. Her body remained in the doorway. Just in case something would be said. But nothing was said. The soft sniffling from her mother's tears was the answer.

With tears of her own, Casey left. She didn't bother to close the door.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Justin asked. "Are you thinking this through?"

"I'm helping out a friend."

"Okay," he laughed. "Let's just say that's true. Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know."

"What are you going to do once you get where you want to go?"

"I don't know, okay?"

"Do you have money?"

He looked at his friend, a grin on his face. "I have money."

"Oh right. Well, I still think this isn't smart. You can't just leave like this. You do realize that you're dropping out of High School too, right? You're not going to graduate if you leave."

"It doesn't matter. She's… special, dude. You saw what happened."

"You don't have to remind me. She turned completely into water… she's like… like Aspen Mathews from Fathom. Comic book style."

"_She's like me_. That was the point I was trying to get across in case you didn't know."

"I get that. But… running away? Isn't that a little over-dramatic?"

"You know what? It doesn't matter because I'm doing something for someone _I care about_. Hey, I was just as surprised as you when she told me her secret. But, that's what makes us the same now. We both share some unbelievable... thing that we don't understand. I was already running away and now she is too. I'm doing this for her. If you don't understand that then please just _shut up_."

"Are you going to tell her about your secret too?"

Alec shrugged. "I will."

Justin nodded his head and rolled his eyes. Quickly Alec sped by and gathered all of his things. In a flash, all of his bags were packed. An idea produced in the young man's head. He grinned. "Hey, Alec… what if I went too?"

"Uh, I don't think so."

"Come on, dude. It would be hecka awesome."

"Weren't you the one saying that leaving was stupid and over-dramatic?"

"I never said stupid."

"But you said over-dramatic."

"Okay, yeah, but I was thinking about it. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. It's like… an adventure of grand proportions. I mean, it's so outrageous, why wouldn't I go? You could make a movie about something like this."

"I'm leaving now. Tell your mom that I said thanks for staying."

He stepped in front of the door. "Come on, I just want to tag along. It'll be cool." With a smile he lifted his left hand and placed his right on over his heart and said, "I promise I won't get in the way of you and Casey."

Alec looked at him. Hesitant. The humorous picture of his friend making a pledge made him laugh inside. He rolled his eyes. And breathed a sigh. "You promise?"

Justin smiled. "Sweet! Hold on." He turned around and opened his bedroom door. With his hands cupped over his mouth he yelled down the hallway, "Mom! I'm running away! I don't know when I'll be back!"

There was a moment of silence. Finally she replied, "Make sure you bring a sweater!"

He smiled and began packing his things. Alec smirked and shook his head. He watched his friend pack his things. In the back of his mind he thought about Casey. He was doing something for someone he cared about. He repeated the saying in his head. It was something he wanted to do. And he was positive it was the right thing to do.

* * *

The moon hung in the sky. Dark clouds hovered around the shiny circle in the blackness of the evening. Midnight. The city was empty. A few straggling cars occupied the roads. But the sidewalks were vacant. The city was imprisoned in viewless winds, blown round about by restless violence in the pendent world. The dark night set the atmosphere for the three young people running away.

The taxicab stopped at Grand Central Station. Three individuals stepped out and took their respective suitcases out of the trunk. Slowly the three made their way to the doors. They walked through the halls. Although it was nighttime, the station was full of crowds. Many were waiting for their terminals to open. Others were visiting the various famous restaurants. The three people went to the ticket booth.

"Where should we go?"

Casey shook her head. "I don't care."

"Let's go to Washington, D.C." Justin suggested. "I've actually never been there."

Alec shrugged. "Sounds fine to me." He looked at the times. "The next train doesn't leave until the morning. We'll have to wait."

"That's alright. We can wait."

Justin nodded his head in agreement.

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The chosen action will indeed have its own reaction. How will we confront our consequences? What are we made of? Only time will tell. And time always has its own agenda." – Mohinder Suresh

The High School Senior bought three tickets. He handed each person thier tickets. They turned around and took in their environment. The vast train station was large and intimidating. Casey held her head as another headache struck. Alec took her hand into his. Justin walked over to a nearby bench. Together they followed their friend. After taking a seat, they waited for the morning to come. Awaiting the events that the next day would bring.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	18. A Bad Dream

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The rock star that was attacked by a mysterious intruder has strange dreams and only a clue to guide him to their meanings. The FBI Agent who was taken off of the case searches for the meaning of her powers. Continue as their lives intertwine and each Hero tries to find the meaning of their gifts and how they will use them.

CHAPTER NINE "A BAD DREAM"

"Humans are very resourceful creatures. We can adapt to almost any situation; bettering ourselves and our understanding of the situation. Making us part of the group that lives on. This innate quality to take something strange and make it understandable helps us to survive. To continue living in a dying world." – Mohinder Suresh

(Sarah White – New York City, New York)

The woman sat in her home, staring across the way at the empty wall in the apartment. Daylight came in through the windowpanes, scattering bright images across the floor. In her hand was her cellular phone. Slowly, she closed it and placed it in her lap.

She shook her head. "Damn… my first big case and I didn't even do anything to contribute to it. God, I hate my job!"

Angrily, she shot out of the chair and into the small kitchen. Her mind needed some cooling off to do. Something to help relieve the anger and frustration. She opened the refrigerator. It was empty, save for a few boxes of chinese food from the night before. What she really wanted was some liquor, but she hadn't been grocery shopping in a while. All that was left was a bottle of Gatorade. After pouring herself a cup, she drank it all in one gulp. She wiped her lips with a napkin and tossed it into the open garbage can.

Sarah walked across the living room to her chair and grabbed her dark blazer. She had come home for lunch and was preparing to do some more investigating. Before she could go back to work, she received the call from Alec Lions. And that call ended all future engagements on the assignment.

Slowly, the blazer went around her back and onto her body. Hands gently tugged at the collar making sure it fit more comfortably. Her glance went to the window. It was a bright day. But not for her. With an angry sigh, she punched the wall.

And then again.

She looked down at her hand and concentrated. Slowly, she felt her body become heavier. Stronger. More dense. With another angry cry of disappointment she struck wall once again. The plaster snapped under the pressure and crumbled around her hand.

Sarah looked at the hole in amazement. She closed her eyes and concentrated on making her body normal again. After another glance at damage, she smiled and nodded her head. At least _something_ was going in her favor. The sunlight crawled on the ground across her small living room. A cold wind blew through the door as she opened it to leave.

(Wayne Rockwell – New York City, New York)

_Wayne ran for his life. His bare feet struck hard cement. He was running away from something. He ran away from the people that were chasing him. He looked behind. There were so many. People in dark clothing. Yelling his name. But he didn't stop. He continued to run. Looking for an exit. Trying to find a way out. Sounds echoed all around him. Made him scared and confused. He came to what looked like a tall statue. It was the Washington Monument. Strangely familiar, he grabbed at the marble frame. Frantically, he tried to make an escape. But it was all in futility. The screams and yells of the people behind him were deafening. He turned around. And suddenly everything became quiet. An absence of sound. A woman stepped out from the crowd and walked towards him. She looked familiar, and yet was a total stranger. She opened her mouth and spoke five words. _

_The answers lie in silence._

Wayne awoke with a start. Once again, sweat profusely ran down his forehead. His hands shook violently. He grabbed them, desperately trying to make them stop. Breath was frantically trying to enter into his lungs. His chest moved up and down forcefully. The rock star remained in his bed, contemplating once again the dreams in his head. Slowly, he tried calming himself and his mind.

After a few moments, he threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. The doorway swung open and he walked into the hotel living room.

David sat on the couch with his suitcases leaning up behind him. Wayne walked in and fell on the couch across from his bodyguard. He gave a sigh before sinking deeper into the comfort.

"The window is fixed," David said.

A janitor propped himself outside of the window, just out of eyesight of the two people, and started listening in on the conversation, unbeknownst to the two.

"That's good. We'll leave tomorrow morning," he replied.

"Wayne." He leaned closer. "May I ask _why_ we're leaving? I mean, don't you have a few more gigs left?"

Wayne shook his head. "Because of the concert incident, I canceled all of the North American dates. There is no time for music right now. I am going to make sure that whoever is trying to kill me is found. The band can come second."

The bodyguard looked at the person lying on the couch. Something in his mind told him that the reason given wasn't the only explanation. "What aren't you telling me?"

Wayne slowly sat up, looking at the person in front of him.

"You haven't been straight with me for a while now," David said. "I'm your bodyguard and I have to know... something! The least you can do is trust me. Tell me about what happened yesterday. For almost two days you were unconscious, and then right out of the blue you wake up. Not only that, but you decide that we're leaving to who knows where, even though you still have committed gigs."

"I told you: 'I cancelled them'."

"Then why are we leaving? Where are we going?"

"We're going to Washington, D.C."

"Why?"

"The answers lie in silence," he said just above a whisper.

David stared into the face of the person he was to protect, confused. "What the heck does that mean?"

Wayne looked at his bodyguard. He knew what he had to do and his conscience told him it was the right thing to do. Trust. The rock star nodded his head. "You're right, Dave, you're my bodyguard now. And you're entitled to know everything." He looked down at the palms of his hands. Light began to illuminate from his fingertips. David looked at its brilliance in awe. Wayne closed his hands and the light disappeared.

"What was that?"

"Me and you, Dave, we have something in common. We're both special. We both have something extraordinary. The only difference between you and me is that someone wants me dead because of it."

(Sarah White – New York City, New York)

Sarah walked into the building of her workplace. Once again the hustle and bustle of her fellow FBI Agents filled the room. Gloomily, she walked through it all. The sounds of the computers. The voices in the conversations. None of it mattered to her. Her career was slowly spiraling downward. She collapsed in her chair and sighed heavily.

The telephone on her desk rang.

She picked it up. "Hello?" Her voice was very apathetic.

"White!" It was Miss. Aston. "Get your butt in my office. Now!"

The FBI Agent slid out of the chair and slithered over to her boss' office. The door opened. Inside the room sat Miss Aston. Her face had a strange expression of anger. She didn't look angry, but by the way she breathed, one knew that she was aggravated. On the left side of the desk was a television monitor, showing a man who was in the interrogation room. He was large and had bruises all over his face. The large man was not handcuffed, implying he came voluntarily.

"White," Miss Aston said. "Take a seat."

She sat down across from her boss.

"How goes your missing person's case?"

"Um… it's okay, I guess."

"Okay? Just okay?" Her voice went up to an irritated squeal.

"Well, not exactly."

She shook her head. "Oh, please, do tell!"

"Well, Casey Walker reappeared. She was kidnapped and now, apparently, she's back. So, uh, I guess the case can be dropped."

The boss breathed heavily through her nose, her semi-sweet façade disappearing completely. She slowly got out of her chair and walked over to the monitor. "Do you know who this person is?"

"No."

"Of course you don't. You've never seen this person before in your life."

"What's your point, Aston?"

She grinned. "This is Alec Lion's step-father."

"That means nothing to me."

"Will you stop making little comments and listen? Now, this is Chris Adams. And he's told us some very interesting facts about your… 'friend'." Miss Aston paused for a second, letting her last statement sink into the woman in the chair.

Sarah leaned back in her seat. She was ready to listen.

"For instance," the boss started again. "Did you know that Alec is responsible for the bank robberies here in New York?"

"What?"

"He's a criminal, Sarah! He's stolen from four different banks in New York City. And he got away with it for too long. Good thing his stepfather came and told us everything."

"What did he tell you?"

* * *

The bodyguard looked at the rock star. He leaned back into the sofa and held his head. His mind churned, taking in every ounce of knowledge given to him. "You're special. Like me."

"Like you," Wayne reaffirmed. "On the night you found me unconscious, I was contacted by a man named James Lee. He told me that the government knows about people like us- yeah, apparently there's more like us- and I was a part of a secret government agency called _Silence_."

"Who's James Lee?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But, he said that there was a member of the agency that went rogue. He almost destroyed _Silence_ but other team members and I were able to detain him."

David continued to sit back in the couch, nodding all the while.

"But he escaped and he's taking revenge on everyone that was involved. Me included."

"But… that doesn't explain why we're going to D.C.," he said. "Do you think that going there will scare away whoever is trying to kill you?"

"No."

"Then why?"

He thought about each word. Carefully choosing what he wanted to say. "I've been having bad dreams, or… they could be nightmares. These dreams seem so real, as if they've happened. Or are happening. Or… something. But I'm in them. Sometimes I'm seeing myself, other times I'm watching everything from a first-person view. It all seems like an old memory, but… I have no memory of anything that happens in them."

"Maybe that's all they are: dreams."

"But there's a constant in almost each one: the Washington Monument. I see it all of the time."

"So?"

"I've never been there in my life. How can I have dreams about a place I've never been?"

David rested his arms across his chest. "Okay. So what about _the answers lie in silence?_ What does that mean? How can an answer lie in a secret agency that you don't remember?"

"That's why I need to go to Washington, D.C. I think these dreams are real. I think they're… old memories, and the Washington Monument is the only clue that I have that connects everything."

"How do you know you're not just dreaming up everything? How do you know you're not just dreaming about the Washington Monument because you happened to see the History Channel special on The Treasures of the United States?"

Wayne sighed. He stood up and turned to leave. Before entering his room, he faced his bodyguard. "I don't know, Dave. I don't know if any of this is real. But the window was broken. I know that someone tried to kill me that night and James Lee saved my life. I know that a message was given to me. And I'm going to find out what it means. If you don't want to come along then… then you'll just have to deal with it. You're still my bodyguard."

* * *

"Well," Miss Aston began. "Chris told us that Alec stole from the banks and then used the money for drugs. And he hid the money in their apartment. Apparently, Alec isn't a very smart young man. He also told us that Alec kept him prisoner against his own will, often times beating him. As you can see, the bruises on his face and arms are proof of such attacks."

"So," Sarah said, putting together the pieces of the puzzle of Alec Lions. "I've been aiding a criminal?"

"Yes. Right now, however, our main priority is finding out where he is. Chris told us that a few days ago he left. But that was before he contacted the police about Walker's disappearance."

The FBI Agent stood up. All of the newly integrated information began to process in her mind. She looked at the person on the monitor. He looked so helpless. He looked so fragile. The thought of the young man being a ruthless criminal sounded so farfetched. She remembered the soft compassion that was in Alec's eyes. The entire situation seemed misplaced. But her sense of duty outweighed her conscience.

Sarah took out her cell phone. "I know how to find out where he is. I still have his cell phone number."

"I don't think he's that stupid. He wouldn't still have the same cell phone."

"Well, he came to us to look for Casey. If he's stupid enough to go to the FBI for help, I think he's stupid enough to keep his cell phone." She turned to her boss and winked. "Besides, he doesn't know that we know we're on to him."

The phone rang. Silently she wished that everything that was said about the High School Senior was false. A fabrication. She genuinely liked the boy. He was sincerely compassionate about the girl she was looking for. Sarah respected love when she saw it. And criminals don't love. Not in her book.

His voice came on the other side of the receiver. Sarah smiled. "Hello, Alec? This is Sarah White. I'm calling because I wanted to ask where you are… At Grand Central Station? Why? … Washington D.C? Wow, that's pretty far. You haven't left yet have you? … Oh good, it doesn't leave until tomorrow morning. What time?" Quickly, she gestured for some paper and a pen. As the coordinates of his whereabouts were given to her, she wrote them down. "Um, there's no reason, I was just wondering. Thanks."

Miss Aston grinned. "Good job, White. I'll get our people there right away."

"Wait," Sarah said. "Let me go. I was the one who was helping him. I should be the one to put him away."

"White, we have no time for this poetic justice crap."

"It's _not_ poetic justice. Please, Aston, let me do this. I helped a criminal. _I_ need this. Send back up to Washington D.C where the train ends. You can pick him up there."

The boss sighed. "Fine. But if you screw up, it's your head."

Sarah smiled. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'm going to bring him in."

* * *

Wayne, David, and Jessica sat in the back of a taxicab. The moon hung in the sky. Dark clouds hovered around the shiny circle in the blackness of the evening. Midnight. The city was empty. A few straggling cars occupied the roads. But the sidewalks were vacant. The city was imprisoned in viewless winds, blown round about by restless violence in the pendent world. The dark night set the atmosphere for the three people.

Jessica breathed slowly out of her nose and back in through her mouth. "Now, I'm all for a spontaneous trip, but why exactly are we leaving again?"

David smiled and kissed her. "I'll tell you some other time, okay?"

She nodded her head and looked out the window.

Wayne shivered in his jacket. Its warm interior did not seem to provide him comfort from the cold of the night. He looked out the window. Watching the yellow lines on the road pass by in a blur. With each passing moment, he ran the scenario of his dreams in his mind. He could remember each one. Vivid images that did not leave.

The bodyguard crossed his arms and leaned back in the seat. "Okay, so when we get to the airport I'll-"

"Wait," the rock star interjected, "we can't take a plane."

"Why? I already told the cab driver to bring us to the airport."

"There's someone trying to kill me, Dave. I have better chances to survive a train wreck than a plane crash. Tell him to go to Grand Central Station."

David shrugged his shoulders and told the driver the new directions. The car switched lanes and left the turn lane that led to the airport.

Suddenly, everything became quiet. All of the noises on the road abruptly cut out. As if someone turned his life on mute. Wayne didn't notice it at first. But he soon realized that nothing made a sound. Strangely no one noticed. Everything went along as if sound was still there. The car on the road. The people with him. All in nothing. _Silence._

And then sound returned.

Jessica looked out the window. She gave a startled cry and looked at her husband. "I think I just saw a man flying out there. He looked like he was wearing a janitor's uniform."

David shook his head. "You're seeing things, Jess. No one can fly."

She looked back. But the dark sky was only filled with dark clouds. There was no flying janitor that she could see anymore. Her lips twisted with disappointment. "I could've sworn…"

* * *

"Survival of the fittest is usually the factor between those that survive and those that die off. If something threatens our very existence, we will fight to continue. Fight to live. Fight to fulfill our destiny." – Mohinder Suresh

They stood at the steps of Grand Central Station. Wayne took a deep breath and swallowed the large apple in his throat. With bags in hand, and friends at his side, he began his ascent up to the doors. There was only one thing occupying his mind at that moment. Curiosity. Something extraordinary was happening. He was taking his first steps towards the answers he was seeking. The mystery of his long forgotten past. Wayne wanted answers. And the only way he was going to get them was to take action. His feet moved his body across the ground to the terminals where his destiny awaited.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	19. Heroes Part One

Special thanks for my beta E for Emma

Special thanks to everyone who continues to read and review

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. All that has happened to them is in direct correlation to what will happen next. The Answers Lie In Silence.

CHAPTER TEN "HEROES - PART ONE"

"We all have gifts that we can associate to ourselves. Every human being has some kind of talent. We can create works of art. We have intellect. But what in _us_ decides how to use our gifts? Why do some use it to only benefit themselves while others use theirs to help those in need? Many would say the conscience. The tiny voice in the back of heads that distinguishes right from wrong. But whether or not we listen to our conscience, it solely up to us."– Mohinder Suresh

The car hummed in the dark, cold morning. The engine noiselessly roared as it rested against the curb of the sidewalk. The moon was still in the sky, just waiting to go to sleep and let the sun take its place. The lack of light provided the atmosphere. Cold. Fierce. Unpredictable. In front of Grand Central Station was one car. And inside was one woman. Sipping on a Styrofoam cup of coffee.

(Sarah White – New York City, New York)

She took another sip, letting the heat of the liquid warm her frigid body. She shivered in the driver's seat. Her gaze never left the front doors to the large and extravagant building. She let out a sigh, her breath materializing in front of her eyes before dissipating into nothing.

The clock read six thirty. With a nod and a final gulp of coffee, Sarah turned off the ignition and stepped out of her car. She wrapped a hooded sweater on her body and put her dark blazer over it. After checking to make sure she still had her gun, she made her way up the stairs.

Breath slowly escaped her lips. She was anxious. Tense. A little scared. Over and over she reminded herself what she was about to do. "Alec is a criminal. He's a nice kid. But he's a criminal. Okay, I'll just buy a ticket in case he's already on the train. But I need to find him before then."

She walked through the doors and made her way to the terminals. Stragglers waiting for their terminals to open wandered around. They watched her walk by out of boredom. Sarah was concentrated on her mission. It was important to her that this one was fulfilled. She was going to bring him in. She promised her boss. And if it wasn't done, she was going to lose her job.

The ticket booth came a lot quicker than she expected. The warm greeting of the person behind the window did little for the woman's emotions. Sarah glanced at the train departures before walking up. "I need a ticket to Washington D.C."

The woman nodded her head and told her the price. After paying the amount, Sarah took the ticket and left the booth. Her eyes searched for a clock. There was half an hour before the train left. She had half an hour to find the High School Senior before the train left. With searching eyes and time to beat, Sarah set out in the train station looking for Alec Lions.

* * *

The train was leaving and she still hadn't found him. She had unsuccessfully searched Grand Central Station for half an hour. Desperately she took one last sweep across the grounds, but still he could not be found. A sigh came out of her mouth. She had wished that it would be relatively easy to capture Alec, but it proved a lot harder than she expected.

Sarah fished in her pocket for the ticket and took it out. Quickly she made her way to the terminal hoping to find him on the convoy. The train was ready to load the passengers, but no one was going in. A large crowd had gathered. And that's when she saw him. He was with another young man and Casey, the person she was originally looking for. They were getting an autograph of Wayne Rockwell, the well-known lead singer to Logan.

"All right," she said to herself. "Grab him and get out of here."

As swift and precise and she could, Sarah tried to push her way through the swarm of people. But more and more crowded closer and closer. Bodies bumped against hers, making her rock violently back and forth.

From every direction the lead singer's name was called out. Sarah pushed those in front of her out of the way, trying to making her way to the target. But still, more people pushed her farther from him and closer to the train. Inside, she wished that she could just go right through the crowd, grab the young man and leave. But there were so many others in her way, pushing and shoving.

Wayne Rockwell smiled at the people pushing papers in front of his face. He signed as much as he could, but after a quick conversation with his bodyguard, he made his way into the train. The circle of fans around him backed away and allowed him to proceed. All of those in front of the FBI Agent moved backwards and pushed her against the empty train.

Suddenly she felt enclosed. Claustrophobic. Her breaths became quick and short. More bodies pressed against hers. She closed her eyes. All she wanted was to escape, to get out of the enclosed space. She couldn't breathe.

And suddenly she fell back.

Sarah opened her eyes. She was inside the empty train car. Her body was halfway through the floor. She was in complete shock and didn't know what to do. She looked down at her half exposed waist in the ground. With her eyes wide, lips quivering, the woman began to assess the situation. Quickly, she pulled herself up, flesh returning to its normal density.

The door across from her opened and passengers walked in.

* * *

Alec placed his bags underneath his chair and in the overhead locker. After helping Casey with hers, he took a seat. Politely, he let her have the window seat. Justin also put his bags in their respective places. He sat down in the aisle seat and looked over at his friend. Alec and Casey were sitting on the left side of the aisle and Justin was on the right.

"So, uh, what do we do when we get to Washington?" he asked.

Alec leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't care. That's the beauty of a road trip: it doesn't matter what you do. We just do what we feel like."

"Okay," the other nodded his head. "So it's like summer vacation on wheels."

"Pretty much."

A young woman walked by and placed her bags in the overhead locker. She had black hair that was of medium length. Justin guessed that she couldn't be older than he was. She looked at her ticket and looked down at the young man. She gave a smiled. "Oh, I guess I sit in that seat next to you."

He looked up. She was attractive, to say the least. He glanced over at the High School Senior friend and grinned. "You are? Oh, then I'll let you have the window seat."

"Oh, thank you."

Justin politely got up and allowed the woman to sit down. He noticed the two people across the gap stifle their laughs. He leaned closer to them and grinned even more. "Laugh all you want. I'm pretty good with the ladies."

Alec nodded his head. "Yeah, sure you are."

Casey even managed a laugh, despite her situation. "Show us."

Justin nodded his head. "Alright, then, I will. You'll be eating your words, guaranteed." He sat down and looked over at the woman. He smiled and extended his hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Justin."

She returned the beam and shook his hand. "Hello, I'm Vanessa."

* * *

Alec Lions sat in the chair. He was tired and wanted to sleep but he could not. His body was restless. His eyes were drooping. But he could not fall into slumber. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because his mind was on more important things. Casey's head rested on his shoulder. He smiled and ran his hand through her hair.

This was what he wanted. Being with her in her time of need. But he couldn't help but think about the future. She told him her secret. She was a special person like he was. They were connected in a way that he couldn't explain. Yet, _he_ was still reserved about telling her his secret.

What would it _mean_ if he did? What would _happen_ if he did?

Laughing made him snap out of his thoughts. He turned to his right and saw Justin laughing with Vanessa. After he said something else that was funny, she flirtatiously put her hand on his arm. And it continued.

Alec shook his head and silently chuckled at the antics of his track friend. He sighed and tapped his thigh in nervousness. He looked down at Casey and noticed _two strange, small parallel markings were etched into her neck. _

Justin tapped him on the shoulder. "Are you hungry?"

He turned around, drawing his attention away from the odd tattoo on her neck. "Um, sure, a little bit."

"Well you shouldn't be, cause you should've _eaten_ your words! Vanessa totally loves me already."

"That was stupidest pun ever."

"It was supposed to be a burn."

"It was still stupid."

Justin shrugged. "Whatever, dude, I told you I'm good with the ladies." He sat back in his chair and smiled.

"Where is she anyway?"

"Vanessa?" he asked. "She went to the bathroom or to the food car… something like that. Hey, speaking of the women in our lives, how's Casey over there? Has she turned into water again?"

He shook his head. "No. She had a headache earlier, but she said that it went away before she went to sleep."

A gap of silence filled the train car. Alec sighed again and looked down at the girl on his shoulder. She repositioned herself and continued to sleep. He took his jacket that was hanging on the headrest in front of him and put on her. The train continued to roll down the tracks.

"So are you going to tell her about your ability?" Justin suddenly asked.

"Now? Like right now?"

"Uh, yeah."

"I don't know if I should."

Justin leaned closer to his friend. "All I'm going to say is that this secret is important. You're running away with this girl. You're going to spend a lot of time with her from now on and I don't think a secret like that will be kept hidden for too long."

"Yeah…"

"Not only that, but she told you hers. If you don't tell her and she finds out about yours on accident, she'll probably think that you don't trust her."

Alec nodded his head.

"And for two people like you, I'm guessing _trust_ is a big deal."

"People like us?"

He sat back into his chair and nodded his head. "Yeah! You and Casey are beginning to become an 'item', if you will. Trust and communication is an essential part of any relationship."

"How do you know?" the High School Senior laughed. "You've never had a steady relationship in your life."

"Not true. Remember Julia?" Alec tilted his head at him. The young man laughed. "Okay fine, but it's not because I lack the skills to keep it going. I like to… pick and choose. I'm still looking for the right person for me."

Alec laughed. "Sure you are."

Vanessa came back and sat in her chair. She and Justin continued their conversation filled with a lot of laughing and even more flirting. The High School Senior looked down at the girl leaning on his shoulder once again. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and sighed. He glanced out the window. The sun had unexpectedly disappeared behind a large veil of grey clouds. Small droplets of water fell from the sky, smashing into the glass. The landscape of the earth sped by the speeding train.

The young man sighed once again. "I'm going to tell her," he whispered to himself.

* * *

Sarah walked through the aisles of the train car looking for the familiar face of Alec Lions. Although her thoughts about him before boarding the train were a little skeptical, she now believed otherwise. He was nice, and seemingly kind. But he was a criminal. Anyone who doesn't obey the law is a criminal. She reassured herself that he was the target. She was to get him, detain him, and then leave.

Sarah had a specific way of checking for him. As soon as she had fallen through the wall into the sixth car, she stayed inside and waited for every passenger to sit down and put away their bags. Her plan was to wait for Alec to come through the car to get to his seat. If he didn't, then she would know that he was in one of the cars ahead of her. After checking every passenger in the current car, she opened the door to go to the next one.

The door opened and Sarah walked in. A young girl slid by, looking behind her at a young man that was following closely behind. The FBI Agent began checking for Alec when she glanced up at the young man following the girl. It was the young man who was with Alec and Casey.

Sarah stood up quickly and stopped him from going further.

He tried to get by, but she wouldn't let him. He sighed. "Excuse me, I'm trying to get by."

"Where's Alec?"

An eyebrow went up in question. "Um… how do you know Alec?"

"Just answer the question."

"How 'bout you answer mine?"

She sighed in annoyance and flashed her badge. "Sarah White. FBI. Now are you going to show him to me or am I going to have to _make_ you show him to me?"

"FBI? Didn't he fire you from the case?"

"Yes."

He gulped, and glanced over at the girl behind the FBI Agent. "Um, I'll meet you at the food cart, okay? I have to, uh… I'll be right back."

Vanessa nodded her head and continued on.

Sarah looked at the man straight in his eye. "So. Where's Alec?"

* * *

Casey stirred in her sleep. There were sounds all around her. The conversations of the other passengers. Her soft breathing. The moving train across the tracks. Her eyes remained closed and she soaked in the noises of her surroundings. After a brief period of waiting, she took her head off of the man's shoulder and stretched.

"Hi," he said.

She looked around. "What time is it?"

"I don't know. Probably like nine o'clock or something."

"Why is it so dark out?"

"A storm."

"Oh."

She looked out the window. She hadn't noticed the falling water from the sky or the grey clouds covering the sun. She watched the drops of rain slide down the window. Quickly they moved across the glass as the train moved faster. Without thinking, she concentrated. The water on the windowpane began to move against the current. While most moved from right to left, a select few fought against the wind and traveled in the opposite direction.

Alec watched. "That's amazing."

She lost her concentration and the raindrops went back to normal. She turned around, cheeks blushing. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were watching."

"No, I think it's pretty cool."

"I can't really control it yet. But… I'm not as scared about it as I used to be." She moved closer to the High School Senior and allowed him to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

Alec slowly inhaled. He held his breath for a few seconds. Silently he said to himself, "Just tell her. Just tell her."

"What did you say?"

"Oh," he stuttered. "Um, I… I need to tell you something."

"Alec!"

The loud whisper from behind caused the young man to turn around. Justin quickly walked up, followed closely by Sarah White, the FBI Agent. He looked up at his friend's scared face. "What?" he whispered back.

"The FBI chick is here… and it's not because of Casey."

Sarah nudged Justin out of the way. "Alec Lions, will you please come with me."

The High School Senior looked at the girl sitting beside him. "I'll be right back."

He got up and followed her down the aisle to the end of the train car. On the way, he looked back to see his friend taking his spot next to Casey to tell her that he would return. She peeked her head over the chair and their eyes met. He smiled and continued walking.

Sarah stopped next to the door. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"

"I have a pretty good guess."

She sighed. "Alec… why did you do it?"

"You have to believe me, what I did was not my idea. He was going to throw me out into the street, I had no choice!"

"What?"

The train suddenly stopped, throwing its inhabitants violently forward.

Sarah slammed into Alec and they flew down the aisle to the front of the car.

Casey and Justin fell out of their seats and into the chairs in front of them.

The lights in the train flickered off and on.

Another sudden jerk.

Everyone inside screamed in shock.

Alec looked out the window to his left. The landscape slowly tilted up as gravity pulled the train down.

"What was that?" Sarah yelled.

"I think… the train is falling."

"What?"

Alec got up and ran to the window. "We're falling!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	20. Heroes Part Two

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma.

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. All that has happened to them is in direct correlation to what will happen next. The Answers Lie In Silence.

CHAPTER ELEVEN "HEROES - PART TWO"

A person stood alone in the dark, cold morning. The moon was still in the sky. Just waiting to go to sleep and letting the sun take its place. The lack of light provided the atmosphere. Cold. Fierce. Unpredictable. In front of Grand Central Station was a janitor. And standing outside the doors was one woman. Looking at the reflection in the glass.

(Dawn Freeman – New York City, New York)

She glanced behind her. There was the street and the street signs. There was an empty road and a woman in her car. Dawn noticed that she had been waiting in her car for quite some time, and never did anything except wait there. The woman in the janitor's body shrugged and turned her attention to the glass doors. Somewhere inside was the man that had defied death. And she wanted to know more about him.

The doors opened and she walked in. Surprisingly, there were actually a lot of people inside. She walked by, smiling at each person as she passed them. Dawn had followed the seemingly indestructible bodyguard all the way from the hotel to the train station. But after they went in the night before, she decided not to follow. She remembered hearing that the train wouldn't leave until the morning. So she walked down to the terminals, glancing here and there for the person she had been stalking.

In the middle of the plaza was the ticket booth. She went up to it and looked at the times. Her eyes checked for the earliest departure, which happened to be Washington, D.C. The woman fished around in her back pocket and found the man's wallet. After looking inside for some money, she found that there wasn't a lot.

"May I help you?" the lady behind the counter asked.

"Um," she began. "How much is a one-way ticket?"

"Five dollars and fifty cents."

"Oh good," Dawn said, taking out a twenty. "This guy has more than enough."

The woman hesitantly took the dollar bill and gave the man in front of her the ticket. The mental patient smiled and walked away. With hands on her hips, she scanned the area around her. There were many people just lingering about. A woman walked around to almost every person with a picture in hand. A lot of groups were about too. A group of women. A family. A group of eighth graders and their teacher.

And then she saw him. He was sitting in the corner with a woman. Another man lay on the floor, asleep.

* * *

She nuzzled closer to her husband and he held her. She looked around the large train station. There were so many people sleeping or waiting to leave. It made her laugh to think that she was one of them. She was a part of the experience. The soft sighs of her husband made her chuckle.

"What's wrong, honey?" she asked.

David sighed. "It's… nothing."

"So," she said putting her head on his shoulder. "Are you going to tell me why we're going to Washington, D.C.?"

He smiled and held her hand. "Do you really want to know?"

"I think I'm entitled to know."

"Okay," he laughed. "Well, you know how we're… special?"

"Do you mean how we can do abnormal things?"

"Yes."

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Wayne is like us."

"Really?" She sat up and glanced at the sleeping rock star. "Then why is he blackmailing you to be his bodyguard?"

David followed her gaze to the man. "I don't know. He's been nice to us, sure, but, I'm not sure of his motives. I want to ask him but… you know, I'm not sure if I should."

"If you really want to know, then you'll ask."

He became silent, pondering over what his wife had said.

Jessica sat up and stretched, easing the tension in her back. She yawned and pulled her sweater tightly around her body. "Okay, so he's special like us. But you never answered my question. What does that have to do with Washington, D.C.?"

"That's a little bit more complicated."

"Try me."

* * *

It was time to board the train.

Wayne walked to the train with his bags, followed by his bodyguard and the bodyguard's wife. He looked back at David. There was something bothering him. The way he moved. The way he spoke. It was like reading a book. And he read that there was something wrong with his bodyguard.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah."

"You look… troubled."

"Don't worry about it. We'll talk on the train."

"Is it because I made you and your wife leave your home to come with me? I mean, sorry, buddy, but I need you for protection."

"No," David shook his head. "It's not that."

Jessica suddenly intervened. "Hey, Wayne… there's a bunch of people coming around us."

Wayne turned around and realized that a large crowd had assembled around them. Obviously, they were fans of him or his band. They all looked at him with admiration and awe. A young woman walked straight up to him with a piece of paper and pen in hand.

She smiled. "Mr. Rockwell, can I please have your autograph?"

He laughed and took the pen. "You can call me Wayne. And sure. Who do I make it out to?"

"Casey."

"Okay," he said as his inscription went down on paper. "There you go."

"Thank you!" She turned around to two other young men and happily showed them her autograph.

More papers were pushed in front of him. He looked at David as if to say "Help me". His bodyguard smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if it was a joke. His wife covered her mouth and laughed as Wayne grabbed each paper and scribbled his name on it before quickly giving it back to the owner. David and Jessica were still not used to all of the publicity that Wayne received. It was comical to them to see him autograph papers and it was even funnier since they knew, deep down inside, that he hated signing autographs.

Everyone called out his name. He forced a smiled at the direction of the voices in the air, hopefully satisfying a fan. But his eyes moved across the crowd, looking for anything suspicious.

Finally he pulled his bodyguard closer and whispered into his ear, "Get me out of here! There's too many people right now. One of The Rogue's assassins could be out there."

David nodded his head and put his hands up. "Okay, people, please back away and let him pass. He needs to get on the train. Please move. Thank you." He walked forward and cleared a path for the rock star. The fans around him continued to call out his name and all Wayne could do was smile and wave.

* * *

Wayne Rockwell leaned his head against the window. The images of his nightmares flashed repeatedly in his mind. There were so many things that didn't make sense about them, but they seemed so real. He closed his eyes and pictured them. He remembered seeing himself. A younger version of himself. And the Washington Monument. He had never been there before and yet it was a constant image in the dreams. The darkness of his eyelids slowly brightened as he opened them up and stared out the window once more. The dark grey sky loomed ominously overhead. Rain fell from the heavens. The landscape outside of the train flew by in a colorful blur.

"So what can you do?"

Wayne quickly turned his head, a little surprised. Jessica sat in the aisle chair next to him. He cleared his throat and sat up. "Excuse me?"

"What ability do you have? Is it, like, super singing or something?"

The rock star looked across the walkway to his bodyguard. "Did you tell her?"

"That's kind of why I wanted to talk to you on the train."

"Yeah, so, what can you do?" she persisted.

Wayne nervously ran his hand through his hair. He looked at the two people in front of him. After taking a quick glance around the perimeter to make sure no one was in earshot distance, he leaned close and whispered his secret. "I hope you realize that you're putting me in a very difficult position. But since I trust you guys, I'll tell you."

Jessica nodded her head and so did her husband.

"James Lee called it _Energy Conversion_."

"Who's James Lee?" She asked.

Not wanting to explain everything, David shook his head and dodged the question. "He's a friend. Um, Wayne, what does that mean? You can convert certain types of energy?"

"Yeah, um… pretty much."

"But you made light come out of your hands."

His wife looked at the rock star. "Really? Could you show me?"

Wayne looked around again and opened his hand. A bright light glowed from it. The luminance disappeared after he closed his palms.

"Wow, that was neat."

"Okay," David said. "So if you don't just make the light, then what exactly did you do?"

The rock star shifted uneasily. "I, uh, can convert sound waves into light waves. I can see the sound waves in the air and I can pick and choose between which ones I want to convert into light, after which I can manipulate it into bright lights."

"That's cool," Jessica said."All I can do is heal peo-."

David jumped out of his seat and covered his wife's mouth. She jumped back in shock. He laughed nervously. "Hey, uh, Jess, can you, um, go get us some bottled water from the food cart?" He shifted his eyes towards the exit. "At the end of the train?" he added for more emphasis.

She looked at her husband's intense facial expression. Slowly her line of vision went to the man sitting next to her. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Oops. Sorry honey… I'll, uh, just go now."

The nurse quickly got up and left.

The bodyguard held his head and sighed.

Wayne looked over his headrest to the woman walking away. He sat back down in a surprised shock. "She has abilities too?"

* * *

Dawn sat in her seat and watched the man. He was only four or five seats away. He was talking to the singer that she had shot at during the concert. Strangely, she was obsessed with the bodyguard. It was a type of obsession that only crazy people or leprechauns would understand. She didn't know that there were people like her, people with extraordinary abilities. And he was the first one she saw. He was the first one to show his talents.

She remained where she was. Staring.

The man sitting next to her was an obnoxious fat man. He read a comic book and stuffed his face with an energy bar. Every now and then he'd say something to himself and projectiles of half eaten food flew out of his mouth. The fat of his neck jiggled when he laughed, and his large, sausage fingers were greasy with a mysterious substance. The large, obnoxious man spoke out loud. And he was beginning to annoy her.

Dawn leaned back into her chair and kept her eye on the bodyguard.

The man laughed and thrust the comic book in front of her face. "Look at this! How can Green Lantern lose the fight? I mean, he's made all of these awesome-"

"Do you mind?" she yelled at him. She disgustedly wiped the spit and food from her face. "I'm trying to concentrate here."

The man shrugged. "Well sorry, Mr. I'm-concentrating," he said very contentiously. "I thought everybody liked comic books."

Dawn grabbed the comic book and ripped it into shreds before throwing the pieces in to his face. "Well, I don't. Now leave me alone. Go bother someone else."

"But… this is my seat."

"Then shut up! I'm trying to pay attention over here."

"What are you payin' attention to-"

With a quick punch to the face, the man fell back into his chair unconscious. His mouth hung open and bits of half eaten energy bar fell out onto his Hawaiian shirt. She grabbed a pillow and placed it under his head.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me that she was like us?"

"I thought you knew. Wasn't that the whole reason why you asked me to be your bodyguard?" David looked at his face. There was sincerity in the other man's eyes. "So… you weren't blackmailing me?"

"What? Why would I blackmail you?"

"Well, I thought – and this was back when I thought you were just a normal, um, human being – I thought that you were trying to exploit me. I thought you were using the knowledge of me and my wife to get us to… I don't know, do whatever you needed, like, you were using me."

"No, I never had that intention. I asked you to be my bodyguard _because_ you were special. I didn't know anybody else that could do extraordinary things like me. I mean, no one in the band is special. I was alone."

"Does your band know about you?"

"Yeah." He looked straight into the man's eyes. "But David, people like us need to stick together. You see? Now that I know about your wife, we can all protect each other's secret. I mean, you saved my life too, but it was that special ability that made me decide to make you my body guard."

"Why didn't you just tell me that you had abilities in the beginning? It would have made everything a lot simpler."

"I had to be sure I could trust you."

"I saved your life."

"I know," he laughed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have given you the impression that I was blackmailing you."

David sat back into the chair and sighed, relieved that his secret was no longer in jeopardy. "All right, so you protect my secret, and I'll protect yours."

"And my life. You are still me bodyguard."

He chuckled. "Yes, and your life."

Wayne sat back into his chair as well.

The bodyguard was about to say something when he stopped short of his sentence. An alarm went off in his head. He had felt the feeling before. Once at the concert and another time before they found Wayne lying unconscious on the floor of his hotel room. The alarm meant only one thing.

Danger.

"Wayne," he said, "Something's wrong, we have to-"

The train suddenly stopped, throwing its inhabitants violently forward.

Dawn slammed into the seat in front of her and braced for more impact.

Wayne and David fell out of their seats and into the chairs in front of them.

The lights in the train flickered off and on.

Another sudden jerk.

Everyone inside screamed in shock.

The rock star slowly pulled himself up and held his head. He helped his friend to his seat. Gravity seemingly pulled on them as the front of the train tipped down. The railcar tilted until it was almost vertical. Confused, Wayne looked out the window. There was another strange absence of sound. People all around him were screaming in fright, but he could not hear their screams. David looked at him and said something.

Suddenly the sound came back.

"What the hell was that?" David yelled again.

The train conductor ran into the car. Hand over hand, he grabbed at the seats and pulled himself up the floor towards the back of the train. He was scared out of his mind. The populace in the train followed suit and began making their way up to the exit.

Wayne and David were the last to leave their seats. The bodyguard made sure that everyone was out first. As the rest of the travelers left the first railcar to a slightly less vertical second, another sudden jerk shook the train. Quickly, they all pulled themselves to the second exit.

Before he exited, Wayne looked out the window, holding on to the chair in front of him so that he would not fall.

"Wayne," David said. "We have to keep moving. Everyone else is already out…"

He did not answer. Small vibrations emanated from the window until it shattered. A loud shrieking noise blasted against the side of the train, ripping away at the surface. The entire wall of the railcar cracked and crumbled under the force of the sound waves. David fell to his knees covering his ears.

Wayne was unaffected.

He looked forward. Raindrops fell on his face. There was nothing to block the weather from the two inside the lone railcar. Only a gaping hole where the wall and ceiling used to be. Lightning flashed in the stormy sky.

The destructive sound waves subsided.

A figure dressed in black jumped onto the train from the newly made entrance. It had a black mask over its face. A pair of goggles was strapped over its eyes, hiding its true identity. Behind him was a gang of similarly dressed people gathered on the railroad. They were all holding semi-automatic weapons.

Wayne stood, frightened, visible among the empty seats. The figure pointed its finger at the rock star.

"Oh crap."

* * *

Continued…

I would like to thank Inspector Brown, Writing for Dummies, Tollivandi Silverwing, Little-Delia, Sakura123, and Jason Kent for being loyal reviewers. For all of you who are reading and not reviewing: shame-shame I know your pen name. Reviews keep us writers going…

So, anyway thanks for reading and please review!


	21. Heroes Part Three

Special thanks for my beta E for Emma

In New York City, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. All that has happened to them is in direct correlation to what will happen next. The Answers Lie In Silence.

CHAPTER TWELVE "HEROES - PART THREE"

"You're coming with me," barked the intruder.

Wayne thrust his hands out in front of him and a blinding flash of light shot out from his fingertips.

The dark figure shook his head. "That won't help you. You see these goggles? They're so you can't blind us."

"Who are you?"

"My name doesn't matter. It's who I work for that you should fear."

"The Rogue Agent."

"Precisely."

David uncovered his ears and slowly got up. He saw the masked figure and immediately pulled the rock star behind him. Putting his arms up, he was ready to protect him. Wayne ran to the back of the train and opened the exit. He looked back at his bodyguard. David slowly looked over the dark figure, sizing him up and preparing himself for whatever would come next. David was not a fighter. Nor had he ever picked a fight. But he knew how to swing a punch. And he knew that he was strong.

The Rogue Commander laughed and pulled out his pistol.

And pulled the trigger.

The bullet fell to the floor, squished like a fly. The bodyguard rushed the attacker. He swung his arm and punched him in the face. Quickly, he brought his strong fist into the right temple. The Rogue Commander flew into the wall and crashed down to the ground.

"Get out of here, Wayne!"

"I'm not leaving without you. You know how pissed Jessica would be if I did?"

David began running towards the back of the rail car. "I was never planning on staying!"

The Rogue Commander got up and grunted with anger. "You're not going anywhere!" He pointed his gun again and fired.

The bullet shot through the air and struck David directly between the shoulder blades. He fell forward onto the ground. With a little clinking sound, the bullet bounced harmlessly off his back. The bodyguard grunted with annoyance. Wayne stopped and tried to pick up his friend.

Another gunshot.

He jumped behind the back seats as the projectile nearly missed his head.

"Attack!" the commander yelled.

The gang of Rogue Soldiers ran off of the railroad and into the train.

David slowly got up and crawled to refuge behind the back seats.

* * *

Sarah looked out of the window. The train was indeed on a tilt over the edge of the railroad. Unfortunately, the railroad was on a bridge. And their side was slowly falling off. She spun around and looked at the scared people huddled at each windowsill. Many were injured. Heads were bleeding. Limbs were sprained or broken. Others were just hysterical, making things a lot worse.

The entrance opened and The Conductor ran through, followed closely by a flood of passengers. Pushing and shoving people out of the way, they made their way to the back of the train. Sarah stopped the closest person. He was wearing a janitor's uniform. "What's going on?"

The janitor shrugged. "I don't know. Everyone decided to leave so I went along. I think I heard someone say that they were going to the exit."

She nodded her head. "Good idea. We should get everybody out of here. You can help me." After another quick glance, she grabbed the High School Senior and beckoned for the rest to congregate around her.

"I need your help."

"No," Alec said as he pulled away from her grasp. He began to take out his bags from the overhead locker.

Casey and Justin followed suit. Sarah watched them gather their things. She looked around at the exiting people. A few people remained in their seats, too injured to move. She wasn't about to take 'no' for an answer.

After everything was out, Alec took hold of Casey's hand and started walking with the rest of the crowd.

"Alec!" she called out as she grabbed his arm.

"What?"

"_I_ _need_ _your help_."

Alec brushed her hand away. "Why should I help you?"

"You know that you can't run forever," she whispered into his ear. "I'm being really courteous to your girlfriend over there and not arresting you right now!"

He looked at Casey. With a sigh, he nodded. "Alright, fine."

"Thank you. Now, these people need help. I'm going to get this janitor guy over here to help out too, and anybody else that isn't injured, but we need to help anyone hurt to get to the exit as quickly as possible."

Justin slowly raised his hand.

"What?"

"Um," he said. "What janitor guy?"

* * *

Dawn walked through the empty side of the train leaving behind everyone else to their escape. She looked at the empty seats. Her hand softly swept across the material. Slowly her feet moved across the ground. She scooted closer and closer to another railcar. There were still passengers who were wounded that could not leave by themselves. Some groaned, asking for assistance. But she was not interested on helping them or even leaving the train. All she was interested in was the bodyguard. She had not seen him leave with the rest of the crowd, so he had to be in the first car still.

She crept forward to the entrance door. On the other side of the window, strange men in black uniforms stood back and fired their weapons. Oddly, they did not converge on the trapped people leaning their backs against the last seats.

She stayed and watched.

* * *

"Try to open the door!"

Wayne looked over his shoulder, but the furious barrage of gunshots made him hug closer to the chair. He shook his head. "I can't! They keep shooting!"

David took a glance at The Rogue Soldiers. There were more than ten. That much was certain. And The Rogue Commander was standing back, watching his grunts do the dirty work. Quickly he went back to the cover of the chair. Sparks and gunshots filled the suspended and broken train.

"We have to find a way to get rid of those guns! Then I could go over there and punch 'em or something,"

"I thought you were bulletproof!"

"I am… but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

Wayne looked at his bodyguard. He felt so worthless. There were people trying to kill him. He had powers that were useless. The situation seemed helpless. Another close spark from another ricocheting bullet made him jump. He looked down at his hands. A little light burned like a fuse. But it wasn't going to help him.

The bodyguard was mad. The soldiers hid behind their weapons. They never moved closer. All they did was shoot at them, trapping them against the exit that was so close. He had no way of getting to them without risking unnecessary pain. Out of frustration and anger, he grabbed the pair of seats in front of him. With all of his might, he ripped them out of their bolts and hurled them at the shooters. The chairs flew through the air and struck the front line.

David ducked behind the second line of seats. "Why aren't you trying to open the door?"

"They're shooting!"

"Shoot some light at them or something!"

"They have the protective goggles! I can't blind them."

"That's all you can do? Blind people? You said that you can convert sound waves into light waves."

"Yeah, so?"

"Then melt their guns with a laser beam!"

"I – I can't do that!"

"A laser beam is just heated light in a very condensed beam." He looked over his shoulder again at the second wave of shooters. The first reloaded their weapons as the second continued firing. He yelled at the person across the aisle. "Concentrate! There's more than enough sound in this place to make one!"

Wayne looked at his bodyguard's face. A commanding voice. He looked down at his shaking hands. A bright light flashed out of his palms and quickly disappeared. He looked back at David. "I can't do it!"

"Do it, Wayne!" He picked up the second pair of chairs and tossed it. "I'll keep 'em busy."

* * *

Those who were uninjured and wanted to help stayed behind with the FBI Agent. Those who were uninjured and wanted to leave, went out to the exit. Only a few people stayed to help. There was a man named Bryan, an older man named Mr. Wu, and a woman named Kim that accompanied Sarah, Alec, Casey, and Justin.

Sarah stood in front of the small group. "Okay, there are a lot of people in this car, but I'm not sure of anyone else in all of the other cars… and there are a lot of cars left. So we have to split up. Try to get everyone out as quickly as possible. We don't have a lot of time." After outlining a quick, improvised plan, the group split up into their respective areas.

Alec stayed in the car that they were already in and had duties in the next car as well. There were at least six injured people; none that were fatally injured, but were still unable to move by themselves. He glanced around to see if anybody was looking. As quickly as he could, he picked them up and sped out. He returned seconds later and repeated the process until all of them were safely outside of the train.

Casey helped up an elderly gentleman and allowed him to lean on her for support. His head was bleeding and he seemed a little dazed. He smiled at her generosity and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she responded.

As best as she could, the High School Junior tried to assemble the other injured passengers, those that could at least walk by themselves. She wanted to get as most as possible, making as few trips as she could. There were a few that could help others on their feet. Slowly, they all worked together to help each other out.

Justin walked into his designated car and looked around. There was no one inside. Cautiously, he checked each seat on the right side. After coming to the very last chair, he found a little girl on the floor. Tears rolled down her rosy red cheeks and she sniffed constantly. He kneeled down beside her and smiled. "Are you looking for your mommy?"

She shook her head. "I can't find Mr. Coconuts."

"Mr. Coconuts?"

"He's my stuffed monkey. I can't find him anywhere!"

"Okay," he said as she broke into tears again. He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to her feet. "Maybe we should be looking for your mommy or daddy right now."

"No!" she stomped her foot. "I need to find Mr. Coconuts."

Justin sighed. "Alright, let's go find... Mr. Coconuts."

* * *

Jessica stood on the railroad tracks, amongst the many other passengers who had left the train. Many people stood around, trying to find their family, or trying to calm their nerves. Others were theorizing what happened to the train. The conductor wouldn't say a word. He only shook his head in disbelief. She waited near the back door for her husband to walk through. Every now and then, people would walk through with some injured passengers and then go back in for more.

But never David. Or Wayne.

Pacing back and forth, frustration rang through her head. She had left for the food car not five minutes before the train stopped and everyone pushed her out. Questions occupied her thoughts. Where is he? Is he all right?

She looked at the various people outside. Each face was unfamiliar, no one that she knew. A single tear fell from her eye as she thought of the worst possible outcome of the man she loved.

The door opened and a young man walked out carrying a sobbing little girl. The nurse thought he was young enough to know who Wayne Rockwell was. And if he saw Wayne, she reasoned, he'd most likely have seen her husband. Jessica grabbed him on the shoulder for his attention. "Did you by any chance see Wayne Rockwell in there?"

"The lead singer of Logan?" he asked as he placed the little girl on the ground. She sucked her thumb and held onto his pant leg. Jessica nodded her head. "I saw him at the train station, but I didn't even know he was on this train," he finished.

"So you didn't see him?"

"No. Sorry."

She turned around and faced the exit door.

The train screeched. Everyone jumped up in shock and began running further away from the falling convoy. It jerked forward unexpectedly again. The train wheels sparked against the train.

A woman ran up beside her. She was wearing a dark blazer. "Oh my God, there's still people in there we haven't gotten to yet."

The nurse ran in. She had to find her husband. "Come on, I'll help you!"

* * *

Alec looked around at his surroundings. He could not see any more injured passengers that needed his assistance. After grabbing every piece of baggage that was left behind, which included his own, he quickly sped through to the other rail cars to make sure he did not miss anybody else.

That's when he saw the janitor.

"Sir," he said. "Sir, we have to get out of here. The train is going to fall off of the tracks any second."

The Janitor did not answer. He was too busy looking through the entrance window.

The young man grabbed him on the shoulder. "We need to go now."

"Let go of me!" The janitor spun around and pushed the High School Senior back.

"What's wrong with you? I'm saving you."

The train suddenly lurched forward. Both people slammed into the entrance door. Alec tried to balance himself as the train's position became more vertical. He grabbed the nearest chair and pulled himself up. "We have to go. Come on."

The janitor turned and faced him this time. "Can you be any more annoying? I'm trying to watch this guy over here. Leave me alone."

"What guy?"

"Do you want to get punched in the face like I did that fat jerk?"

"Hey," he said putting his hands up. "No need to get touchy. I just want to see what you're looking at."

The man moved out of the way and allowed Alec to peek inside. He couldn't believe his eyes. Strange men in black suits were shooting at two people. One of them was Wayne Rockwell.

He went to open the door. "We have to help them."

"No we don't," The Janitor said.

"What? Why not?"

"Those guys aren't even shooting them. Do you hear any gunshots? They're not even pulling the triggers... Well, no, I'm wrong, there's three or four in there that have loaded rifles but they shoot every now and then. It's amazing. The people in black are pretending to shoot and those two hiding behind the chairs are reacting as if they are."

Alec looked on, a little intrigued.

"I've been watching them for a while," The Janitor continued. He peered through the window and laughed. "Actually, I've been stalking the other guy for two days now."

Alec's eyebrow went up. "Uh, okay… um, I'm going to help them now."

The janitor thought about it and smiled. "That's a good idea. That's something exciting. They'll like that."

"Who? The guys in the black?"

"No," he said. "The readers. They're reading about me right now. Actually, they've been reading about me for while, but all of the doctors think I'm crazy."

The young man sighed. "Whatever, dude."

* * *

David threw another chair at them and ducked down. He looked over at the rock star. He was still huddled behind cover, trying to perfect his ability. He shook his head. "Damn it, Wayne, I can't wait around anymore."

With a yell he ran out from behind his cover and rushed the Rogue Soldiers. They fired and he felt pain, but the adrenaline pumping in his veins blinded his body from reacting to it. He gabbed the nearest rifle and pulled it out of the hands of its owner. After dealing a quick blow to the face, he spun around and punched another black figure.

One Rogue Soldier swung its rifle like a club and it smashed against the David's face. He fell back, surprised by the attack. Another strike to his head and he fell to his hands and knees.

With another yell of anger and rage, he got up and punched the soldier over and over again in the chest. There were more enemies around him. They held their guns like clubs, ready to strike. He got a glance at The Rogue Commander, who only stood and watched.

A weapon came swinging in. He ducked and tackled the adversary into the wall. Grabbing the person by the shirt, he swung around and tossed the body into two other people. He blocked a blow and punched another attacker and, taking hold of its head, threw the person out of the window.

The Rogue Commander stood and watched.

Someone hit David in the stomach and he doubled over to receive another strike to the back. He recovered and swung his arms in a blind fury. Fists struck bodies. Bones were crushed. Screams of pain. He swung his arm again and missed, striking the wall of the train. The metal of the hull bent outwards as his fist dented it.

Suddenly the train jerked forward. The car went completely vertical, hanging off of the bridge, suspended in air. All of the Rogue Soldiers flew back into the front of the train. The Rogue Commander and David quickly grabbed onto any nearby chair.

The door opened and a young man and a janitor looked in. Wayne brought his eyes up to the two people. "Who are you?"

The young man smiled. "I'm Superman. Who cares, I'm saving your life." He reached out and extended his hand.

The rock star looked back down at David. "Don't forget my bodyguard."

The janitor nodded. "I'll get him."

Wayne gratefully grabbed the young man's hand and crawled up to safety.

The janitor jumped down into the first car and guided himself down towards the hanging bodyguard.

"You'll never get Wayne," David spat. "I'll make sure of that."

The Rogue Commander shook his head. "You don't know what you're doing."

The train creaked and tottered again.

A hand reached down. David looked up at the owner. The janitor nodded his head and he appreciatively took it.

"Well, I know that I'm not going to save you," he said as he pulled himself up towards the exit.

Together they made their way back up to where Wayne was waiting.

The Rogue Commander pulled out his pistol again. If he wasn't going to get the rock star, he wanted to at least kill some one else. The bodyguard was out of sight, but there was still the janitor. A gunshot rang through the car as he pulled the trigger.

The bullet bounced off of the janitor's back.

His jaw dropped in complete shock.

"He's shooting at us again?" yelled David getting more and more angry. "I'm gonna kill him!"

"I'll go talk to him," The Janitor said, putting up his hand and stopping any further actions from him. "I don't think he means to hurt anybody."

David opened his mouth to say something but the High School Senior sitting near Wayne shook his head. "Let him do whatever he wants, dude. He's… kinda crazy."

The janitor jumped back down through the entrance door. David closed it and they all made their way up to the next exit.

* * *

Sarah and Jessica ran down the aisles.

"Who are we looking for? That girl you met, Casey, said that she got everyone."

"My husband! I never saw him come out."

They ran past the empty chairs and through each door to the next empty rail car. The farther they went, the steeper the train became. The FBI Agent looked around hopelessly. They were getting close to the front of the train. And they still hadn't seen who she was looking for.

They opened the door to the next rail car. Jessica smiled with happiness. The sight of her husband made her jump with joy. "David! You're okay! What happened?"

He smiled and pulled himself through the doorway. "It's a long story, I'll tell you some other time. Right now, we need to get off of this train."

As if on cue, the train fell forward again. It stopped suddenly and those inside crashed into the seats in front of them or into each other. Another loud groan from the falling vehicle bounced though the walls.

Everyone crawled up to the exit.

After getting to a more stable area of the train, the bodyguard stopped. David went to his wife. "Tell everyone to continue on. I need to break apart these cars. I have a feeling that any minute it's going to fall off the bridge. If I disconnect the two sections the falling portion won't take us with it."

She nodded her head and ushered the group to continue on.

He opened the door and got to work.

* * *

Dawn glided down to the masked figure. She smiled and hovered where he was dangling. "Why were you pretending to shoot at the rock star and his bodyguard?"

"How… you're flying."

"Yes I am. It's kind of cool, isn't it?"

The Rogue Commander pulled himself up to a better position. He touched a device on his wrist. "We're done here. Oh, and I have someone else you might want. He's right next to me."

"Alright, I'm sending him now," said a voice on the other side.

A person suddenly appeared beside the Rogue Commander. The person grabbed him and they disappeared together.

Dawn was left alone in the suspended rail car with the unconscious soldiers. She remained where she was. Speechless. The commander was there one second and then gone another.

Another low rasp came to her ears.

A loud crack.

And the rail car around her began falling.

She looked up.

The person who took the Rogue Commander appeared directly in front of her. He grabbed her hand and they disappeared.

* * *

In a spectacular display of dynamic energy, the train exploded upon impact with the ground below.

A group of individuals watched from afar.

"Fate, as it seems, likes to toy with the lives of each and every one of us..."

The teleporter re-appeared, holding on to the janitor's body. It hung limp in his arms. The main figure stood in the shadows, watching the destruction of the train. His breath rose in the cold like a hundred souls escaping. Three other figures stood behind him. Watching the flame rise higher into the darkened sky.

The Rogue Commander took off the mask to reveal an attractive woman. Her long, dark, flowing hair fell out of the hood and dangled below her shoulder blades. Slowly she began to take off the black uniform, which was built like a man's body to hide her curvaceous feminine physique. She wore a dark, skin tight suit underneath reminiscent to the one she had just taken off, except it was for a woman. "Well," she said. "There's fifteen unnecessary deaths. You think we should have saved our men?" Her voice was still very manly.

The dark figure shuddered. "Don't speak like that around me. Go back to your normal voice."

She shrugged and cleared her throat. "Better?"

The dark figure nodded his head.

"Well, we have this one now… for protection," said The Disappearing Man. The janitor's body was still in his arms.

The dark figure smiled. "Good. Put him in the vehicle. I will bring him to the Safe House."

"Yes, Sir."

"...But fate is not the one who chooses our destinies. It is not the one who chooses to save a person's life or to let it die. It's ours. Destiny is ours to control. We have the power to do as we see fit with our lives..."

"Oh, and James?"

James Lee turned his head. "Yes?"

"Good job with Wayne. I didn't expect him to follow the clues as quickly as he is."

James Lee smiled and continued to the vehicle with the janitor in his arms.

The woman walked up behind The Rogue Agent. "So what now?"

"...We do have a choice. But sometimes fate will throw roadblocks, with twists and turns in our way. And horrible things are hiding just behind them." – Mohinder Suresh

"We wait until they make it to Washington, D.C. like I planned. Then we'll get him."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and keep those reviews coming!


	22. Wall of Stone

Ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. The Mental Patient was taken captive by the mysterious Rogue Agent. The FBI Agent finds a shocking surprise in the aftermath of the train's destruction. Continue as they follow the path of their destiny.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN "WALL OF STONE"

"Humans are strange creatures to say the least. It is strange how humans cannot understand fear and yet, they fear what they don't understand..."

She opened her eyes.

Everything was white. The walls. The ceiling. The floors. White.

Dawn jumped to her feet.

"No," she whispered. "No, this isn't right."

"...The normal reaction humans have to the unknown is to remain with what isn't. To stay together with what they consider to be their 'own kind'. This is where racism and prejudice spawn. But normalcy is relative. Who really is different? And who are the normal?" – Mohinder Suresh

She touched the wall in front of her. It wasn't padded like it had been before. The texture was a little bit rough, but not enough to irritate. She looked down at the ground she walked on. It, too, was not padded like it once was. It was just an ordinary metal floor, cold and slick. There was a strange familiarity, yet everything seemed out of place.

The mental patient ran to the far corner and pulled her legs up to her chest. "I left this place. I left this place. I left this place."

She repeated the saying over and over again. It was mind-boggling. Why was she here again? What happened? One second she was in the falling train and the next she was in the white room.

Was everything a dream?

Her arms wrapped themselves around her shins. But they weren't her arms. They were the arms of the janitor. Her ramblings halted and silence filled her mind. Slowly, she back stood up. Staring at the fingers. Gazing over her arms. She was still wearing the janitor's uniform. More questions entered into her fragile head. Unanswerable questions. There was no reason or logic behind anything that was happening.

"What's going on?" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

A low whirring sound from behind caused her to spin around. A section of the wall retracted to reveal a large glass window. Like an interrogation room, the woman saw herself through the one-sided glass. Slowly she approached it. Dirty shoes slid across the white metal towards the wall. The soft breaths of the mental patient were the only sounds in the room.

"Hello." A voice broke the _silence_. It was soft, yet strong. Friendly, yet completely terrifying.

Dawn examined the window before her. "Hello?"

* * *

In a spectacular display of dynamic energy, the train exploded upon impact with the ground below.

Thousands of people watched from afar.

The bodyguard covered his wife and the rock star from any flying projectiles.

The three High School students ran as far from the wreck as possible.

The FBI Agent followed closely behind.

(Sarah White – Somewhere in Pennsylvania)

She glanced behind her as the large orange flame rose into the darkened sky. The grey clouds persisted raining on the people below. Moisture ran down her face as the raindrops pelted against the woman's skin and blurred her vision. The flame rose higher and a metal piece of the train's hull fell from the sky.

Quickly decreasing her density, the flaming piece of metal harmlessly fell through her body. After concentrating, her density returned to normal and she continued to run.

Sarah felt good. At a time of distress, she stood out amongst the rest and saved countless lives. Although she was running away from the large explosion, she couldn't help but smile. The good deed filled her with a sort of dignity, a sense of pride of accomplishment.

More pieces of the train and the bridge fell from the sky. Hot metal was hurled to the ground below and the FBI Agent easily dodged them. As she did, the High School students continued to run. Small sections of the train continued to rain from the sky, each one coming closer and closer to them.

She looked up. A small piece of the bridge was going to hit them.

Sarah cupped her hands over her mouth. "Alec! Look out! Look out!"

They couldn't hear her.

The small piece flew past his head, narrowly missing it.

He turned around and looked up to the sky. Sarah ran forward, trying to get to them. Alec beckoned Casey to keep on running and she hesitantly did so. The other young man, however, remained. After a few words were exchanged, Alec began to rotate his arms in circles.

"What is he doing?" Sarah said to herself.

He continued to rotate his limbs in front of himself, increasing in speed. A small current of air began to form. Soon his arms became a blur and the falling pieces of metal and brick slowed their descent, finally falling harmlessly a few feet in front of the two High School Seniors.

Sarah stopped where she was. She had just witnessed an extraordinary feat of power from an ordinary person. Someone like herself. Special.

* * *

The blank glass seemingly stared at the woman in front of it and she stared back. Like a staring contest, nobody moved. Nobody flinched. Dawn was genuinely interested in the mysterious voice behind the mirror. She waited for a response but none came. Her eyes darted across the surface, taking everything in and examining it all.

"Hello?" she asked again, a little bit impatient.

"What's your name?"

"Um… Dawn."

"What about the name of the man?"

She smiled. "I don't know."

There was a short pause, as if the person behind the mask of glass was contemplating on what to say next. The mental patient waited for a response.

"Why don't you leave his body so we can talk with the real you?"

"No," she said immediately, without even thinking why the person behind the mirror knew that she inhabited someone else's body. She shook her head. "I won't do it."

"It would make things a lot simpler if you did."

"No."

"Fine."

Dawn stood still. Tense. Already, her body was ready for anything that could happen. The agitated sound of the man's voice alerted her senses. Her eyes tried to look past the large window. Look past her reflection. She wanted to see the man behind the mirror.

Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. Air was cut off from her lungs. Looking around in shock, she grabbed at her throat, trying to alleviate the pain in her chest. Precious air. It slowly escaped. Her heart began to beat faster, trying to compensate for the lack of oxygen. She felt lightheaded. Dizzy. Scared.

"You can live if you leave the body," said the voice.

She tried to speak, but her voice left along with her breath.

"Leave the body."

She clenched her teeth, showing her disdain for whoever was forcing her to do it, to leave the body and the power it contained. But her life was slowly ending and she wanted to live.

She closed her eyes.

In a split second, she left the janitor. His body collapsed on the floor and Dawn fell on her hands and knees, breathing hard. She coughed and spat on the ground beneath her. Air filled her lungs again and she could breathe.

"Thank you, Dawn."

She looked up at the glass window and sneered. "What the hell, man? I was having fun in that guy!"

"I'm trying to save you, Dawn."

"By choking me?"

"Believe me. I'm saving you."

"From what?"

Another pause. "Dinner will be served in an hour."

"From what? What are you saving me from?" she yelled.

"We'll talk again soon. In the meantime, I suggest you get to know the man you've been inhabiting for the last few weeks."

The wall moved back into position and hid the interrogation glass window. She remained on the floor. Slowly, her breathing went back to normal. Two bodies lay on the floor in the empty white room.

* * *

Justin smiled. "See, I told you it would work if you spun your arms around like that."

"How do you know these things? You're not the one with super speed."

"Flash did it all of the time," he replied with a grin.

Alec shrugged and turned around to catch up with Casey. Justin stayed behind and looked at the refuse on the ground. He nodded his head in success and stood up. Sarah White stood directly in front of him. She had an expression of shock on her face.

She could only stare at him. Her mouth hung loosely, half open and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Justin slowly backed away, fearful that she had seen his friend use his abilities out in the open. She took a step forward. He took a step backward. Her mouth began to move as she tried to say something, anything. Without waiting another second, Justin turned the other way and ran off to warn Alec.

"Alec!" he yelled, trying to get his attention.

He turned around. "What?"

"That FBI chick saw you!"

"What?"

"She was standing right in front of us. I didn't see her until, like, five seconds ago."

Casey squeezed the man's hand. He looked at her and forced a reassuring smile. He glared at Justin and nodded his head towards the girl next to him.

He covered his mouth. "Crap, sorry."

"Okay," Alec sighed. "So what do we do?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, we should get out of here before she catches up."

"Alec!"

Everyone turned to see Sarah White as she walked towards them. The high school students stood still. Alec wanted to run away, but he couldn't take Justin or Casey with him. There was no way of telling what would happen to them at such incredible speeds. He held his breath. They waited inevitably for the FBI Agent to confront them. He tried to calm his nerves.

"Whatever happens," he whispered, "stay behind me."

Casey nodded her head.

Sarah walked right up to him. "I – I can't believe it! You're… you – you can… I can't believe it!" Her smile enveloped her entire face.

Casey leaned in and whispered into his ear, "What is she talking about?"

He shook his head, trying to keep his secret a secret. "I, uh, don't know."

"You did something amazing. I saw it. You spun your arms around like this." She spun her arms around in an imitation of what she saw. "And you did something to make the debris- I mean, that's inhuman! No one can move that fast and… it doesn't even seem possible!"

"I, um… I don't know what you're talking about." It was all he could say. He was running out of ways to deny her claims. And he didn't have a lot of reasons to begin with.

"You're special, Alec… like me."

Justin's jaw dropped. "What? She's special too?"

Casey was taken aback.

Alec dropped his arms to his sides. He didn't know what to say.

"I didn't know there was anybody else like me," Sarah said.

Casey shook her head in disbelief. "How… what? Alec's not special."

He turned around, caught between a rock and a hard place.

"You're not special, Alec, right? You would have told me if you had abilities."

Alec took a few steps backwards. He didn't know what to say.

Sarah couldn't stop smiling. "I thought something was wrong with me. I mean, yeah, I've gotten better at controlling it, but… I didn't know what was happening to me and now I'm not alone!"

"Alec! Talk to me!" Casey yelled at him. "Why didn't you tell me that you were special?"

"I - I…" he looked at Justin for help.

All he could do was shrug. "Just… tell 'em, dude."

Two women stood in front of him. One was happy. The other was mad. He looked at Sarah. She was overjoyed that he had abilities. She had finally found someone she could relate to. Someone she could talk to about her differences. But then there was Casey. She was angry that he had abilities. She was angry that he didn't tell her. And she had reason so. He kept his secret even though she told him hers.

"Casey, I'm sorry I didn't say anything before… but I do. I have… I'm special."

She looked away, too angry to look at him.

"But I was going to tell you on the train." He tried to reason with her. He tried to see her face, but she wouldn't let him. "Before I could tell you… the train, it… I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

She didn't want to listen to anything he said. Alec continued at his attempts to console her, but the closer he got, the farther she went. Justin stood next to Sarah. They were the spectators watching the man and the woman fight. The two went around in circles. One tried to apologize. The other pushed away.

The sound of a police car brought the FBI Agent back to reality, a reality that didn't have a high school student with an amazing gift. It was a reality with a wanted criminal. The police were there to get him—to get Alec.

"Alec, hold on."

He didn't listen.

"Alec…"

He was busy trying to talk to Casey.

"Alec!"

He stopped talking and faced her.

"I have to tell you something. I came here to arrest you."

"I told you, I couldn't-"

"But," she cut him off. "I'm not going to. I've never met anybody else that was… different like me. But you are. We're both different than most people. And we have to stick together."

"So… you're not going to arrest me?"

She nodded her head. "There's some police officers over there. They're probably here to finish the job I started. I'm going to go talk to them. Follow my lead."

Alec looked at Justin who shrugged his shoulders. He looked at Casey who gave him an inquisitive look. They all began following the FBI Agent towards the Police car.

"She was going to arrest you?" Casey whispered to him.

He grabbed her hand and whispered back, "I'll explain later. You have to trust me."

She shook her head, quickly taking her hand away from his. "I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

The police officer in the driver's seat opened the car door and stepped out. The other officer in the passenger seat followed suit. Sarah walked up to the car, followed closely by the three high school students.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

The driver nodded his head. "Are you Sarah White?"

"Yeah." She tried to make her voice sound as casual as possible.

"That was quite a train wreck. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He nodded his head towards Alec. "Is that him?"

"Yeah. But I told my superiors that I'd bring him in."

"Well," the police officer shot back, "_I_ have orders to take him out of your hands. Your job here is done."

She looked at the young man behind her. As the passenger police officer went around tohandcuff him, she winked and gestured for him to walk to the hood of the car. Hesitantly, he did so.

"Did Aston send you?" she asked. "I told her to meet me in Washington."

"When she heard about the wreck, she ordered us to get him ourselves… if you two were still alive."

She smiled.

Her body increased in density and she punched the officer in the face, crushing his nose and knocking him unconscious. She punched him again, knocking him to the floor.

Alec looked up from the hood of the police cruiser.

The officer who was handcuffing him flinched. "What the-"

Something hard slammed into his face. The FBI Agent swung her arm again and he crashed to the floor.

"Come on, get in the car!" Sarah commanded.

Justin and Casey stepped over the fallen officers and into the police car. Alec jumped into the passenger seat and The FBI Agent settled into the driver's seat.

"Wait," the High School Senior said as he sped out of the automobile. In less than a few seconds, he brought everybody's suitcases. Everyone quickly got out of the vehicle and grabbed their things. Sarah got out and took the unconscious officer's gun.

The second officer slowly reached for his two-way radio and pressed the side-button. "Alec Lions has escaped from custody. I repeat: Alec Lions has escaped from custody and Sarah White is aiding him. Sarah White is aiding Alec Lions."

Sarah kicked him in the face, silencing him for the time being. After everyone was set, she got back in and turned on the engine. She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw her reflection. With one act, she went from agent to fugitive and she took everyone with her. But Sarah believed it was the right thing to do. In her mind it wasn't an impulsive action. She had to protect those who were like her. They had to stick together.

Without looking back, she drove away. Fugitives of the law. A criminal. An ex-FBI Agent. And two high school students.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	23. Shelter From The Rain

Ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. The High School Junior who can control water found out about Alec's secret. The Mental Patient who was locked up finds herself face to face with the man she possessed. The rock star that converts energy continues to Washington, D.C. All that has happened to them is in direct correlation to what will happen next. The Answers Lie In Silence.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN "SHELTER FROM THE RAIN"

The sky was still dark and grey, filled with falling water and exploding rods of light. Smashing droplets of rain fell upon the earth's surface, upon the empty cities, the desolate towns, the vacant streets. A police car sped across the slick black top. Like a bullet from a gun, it raced faster and faster across the ground, trying to get farther away from the train accident.

"The fight or flight response is an involuntary action of our bodies. Adrenaline pumps through our veins and tells us whether to flee or to attack. Simple tactics of human instinct. Fight. Or flee." – Mohinder Suresh

(Casey Walker – Somewhere outside of Pennsylvania)

She sat in the back of the car with her arms crossed over her chest. Furiously, she kept her thoughts inside her head. Her eyes looked out the window of the speeding car. It was definitely a time to be scared, to be frightened of the situation at hand. But the only thing that she could think about was Alec and his lies, his secrets.

In the front seats were Sarah and Alec while Justin quietly sat back in his seat next to her. His arms were wrapped around his backpack. She glanced at him for a second. He looked back and tried to give a reassuring smile.

Casey looked away. The scenery passed by almost in a blur. They were going too fast to see anything except a few trees and the landscape in the distance. Rain splattered against glass and slid down the cold obstruction. Outside the heavens roared and the winds howled. The cold, surreal qualities of the storm made her shiver and gave her a slight headache.

Alec spoke up from the front seat. "Okay, so what are we going to do now?"

"We get as far away as we can. They'll be sending back up," Sarah answered.

"Why?"

"Take a wild guess."

He knew the answer. But for some reason, he needed someone else to say it. Sarah kept her eyes on the road ahead. Every now and then, she would glance into the rearview mirror, but for the last half hour there hadn't been anybody following them.

An awkward silence filled the interior of the police car. The low humming of the engine was the only noise that could be heard. Alec looked into the side mirrors. He could see Casey's angry face. She pretended not to notice that he was looking at her. She continued to look out the glass.

"Oh crap," Sarah suddenly said.

"What?"

"We have a little trouble." She pointed her thumb towards the rear of the vehicle.

Alec turned around in his seat and looked.

The police had found them.

(David Donner – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

David sat down on the bench next to his wife. He handed a ticket to her and leaned over to give the other one to the rock star. Wayne sat gloomily on the edge of the wooden bench, looking away.

With a sigh, the bodyguard got up and sat down next to him. "Wayne, here's your ticket."

"Just leave it on the bench."

David sighed once more, but this time it wasn't in annoyance. He sighed in frustration. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

He didn't answer.

"Fine. Whatever. The sooner we get to Washington, the sooner we can get this stupid thing resolved." Quickly, he got up and turned to leave.

"I'm sorry," Wayne suddenly said.

He stopped. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm a coward."

He laughed. "True."

"I'm being serious, Dave. On the train, when those guys were shooting at us. I didn't do a single thing to help. I curled up behind that stupid chair and waited for you to handle the job."

"Well, I am your bodyguard. That's what I'm supposed to do: protect _you_." David sat down again. "If you could fight for yourself, then I wouldn't have to do it for you."

"But that's the thing," Wayne continued. "I didn't even _try_. When you asked me to make a laser beam, I didn't."

"You couldn't."

"No, _I didn't_. I bet I could have if I really tried."

"Then why didn't you? I could've really used the help-"

"I was afraid, okay?!"

"Afraid of what?"

Wayne dropped his head into his palms. "I don't know. I was afraid of… of dying. I mean, like, I've never been so close to death before. And what made it worse was the fact that my powers were useless against them. All I've been able to do is create light shows, or blinding strobe lights. Nothing offensive like you were trying to make me do. If I really tried I bet I could have made a laser beam. If I had time and maybe a little bit of practice, but I never did anything like that before and people were shooting at me and I froze."

David remained silent.

"Do you know what I was thinking about the entire time?"

He shook his head.

"Me. I was wondering what would happen to the band if I died right then and there. I wasn't thinking about you, or the people on the train. I was thinking about _me_."

The bodyguard nodded his head and leaned back into the hard wood support of the bench. He ran his fingers through his hair and slowly blew air out of his nose. "Wayne, I'm going to tell you something and I'm only going to say this once."

Wayne sat up, ready for the advice.

"Suck it up and be a man."

He didn't say a word.

"Everybody makes mistakes. It's a part of life. Deal with it. But the difference between a coward and a hero is what you do with your failure." Stern eyes fell upon the rock star's face. "So what are you going to do? Are you going to learn from it? Or will you sit on the edge of a bench and pout like an infant?"

There was definite truth to what he was saying. Wayne could see that. He looked down at his hands and created a little orb of light. After closing his hand, the ball disappeared. He nodded his head, understanding the advice.

"I appreciate that, Dave, I really do. But right now, it's not making me feel any better."

"Okay, well, here's your ticket."

He took it into his hands.

"The train arrives in an hour."

* * *

"Damn it!"

Sarah turned the wheel abruptly to the right as she slammed her vehicle into the car beside it. The car held two police officers and they spun off the road. The ex-FBI Agent glanced in the rear view mirror again. There were still more cars chasing them.

Justin turned around. He silently counted the pursuing vehicles and slumped back down. "I feel so useless."

Alec shook his head. "Yeah, make yourself useful. Take this."

He handed the young man the shotgun that was in the front seat. Justin shook his head. "What?! Uh, sorry, dude, but I don't use guns…"

A police car rammed into the back of theirs.

"Why not? Just shoot the closest car."

"But I don't know how-"

The inhabitants inside the stolen car jerked forward as they were rammed from behind once again. The High School Senior dropped the weapon and it went off, creating a gaping hole in the roof.

Justin pointed his finger. "You see? That's why I don't use guns."

Alec rolled his eyes and turned back around.

Sarah swerved into the other lane and accelerated. But she could not out run the police cruisers. They were steadily catching up. She slammed the palm of her hand on the driver's wheel in disgust. "Damn it!"

Casey held her head and rigidly rocked back and forth. Justin noticed and leaned towards the front seats. "Hey, Alec. Dude, Casey doesn't look too good…"

"So what do I care?" he growled. "She doesn't want to talk to me..."

He looked back at the sick girl and turned back to his friend. "Dude, seriously, I think she's having another headache."

"So _you_ make her feel better…" he paused. He didn't want to sound like a jerk, but he couldn't help but be angry. Inside, he wanted her to trust him again. But he knew that wouldn't happen. He took a deep breath and said, "She wouldn't listen to me even if I wanted to help anyway."

Justin sat back in his chair. He looked at the girl as she rested her head on the window. Her eyes were squinted and she held her temples to ease the pain. Hesitantly, he moved closer to her. "Hey, Casey… um, are you okay?"

She shook her head. "This headache is killing me!"

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

She held her head, but couldn't respond.

Nervously he wrapped his arm around her and held her close. She fell into his chest and grunted with pain. Small droplets fell onto his shirt. He couldn't tell if it was tears or her body turning into water again. All he could do was sit and watch, holding her in his arms.

"Alec, grab the wheel," Sarah said.

He took hold of the wheel.

"As soon as I leave the car, start driving."

"What?! You're leaving?"

"Don't worry I'll be back. I have to get rid of them. Keep driving until you hear three consecutive honks. I'll be right behind you."

"Okay," he said uneasily.

She closed her eyes. As her body became less and less dense, she lifted off through the car's top. Quickly she returned to normal density and landed on the roof. Wind blew her hair across her eyes. Raindrops crashed into her face. There were three police cars chasing them. The closest one was riding on their bumper.

Without another thought, she jumped into the air and increased her density. Gravity pulled her down and she collided with the hood of the first vehicle. The front crumbled under the pressure and the entire automobile flipped into the air. Seconds later the second car sped into the first car's place. She lowered her shoulder as it rammed into her extremely dense body, destroying the entire front of the vehicle. The third car skidded to a halt before running into the car in front of it.

Sarah tried to move but her density was too great. Her heaviness hindered her ability to walk. She glanced at the unconscious officers inside the car she had just smashed. Looking past them, she saw the other officers get out of their car. They stepped out, weapons drawn, and walked towards her, cautiously keeping their pistols in front of them.

"How - how did she do that?" one asked.

"Put your hands in the air!" the other yelled, completely ignoring the question.

Sarah rolled her eyes.

Simultaneously they cocked their weapons and inched closer. One went on her left side while the other went around to her right, surrounding her. Nervously, her eyes shifted back and forth. The density of her body decreased to normalcy and she put her hands up.

"Don't move!"

In one swift action she decreased her density to almost nothing and swung her arm across her body. In a reflex, the policeman to the right fired his pistol. The bullet went through her body and struck the other officer instead. Increasing her density again, Sarah punched both policemen and knocked them unconscious.

Two bodies lay beside a lone woman amongst two destroyed police cruisers. Delicately stepping over them, she made her way to the unharmed vehicle and drove off in the direction Alec went.

* * *

The long silver convoy approached the awaiting passengers. The large river of people entered through the doors. David took his bags and walked away from the bench. Jessica followed behind him. Wayne looked down at his ticket. Washington, D.C. was printed on the paper. It was the place where he would find the answers to the mysteries that haunted his dreams. He felt ready. He felt strong. He was prepared for anything that would happen.

David looked back. "Let's go, the train's leaving."

He nodded his head and followed his bodyguard inside.

* * *

Alec drove the car and didn't look back. He had heard the destruction but did not check to see what had happened. As far as he knew, it was back to the three of them. Casey's headache continued to worsen and her body had almost completely turned into organic water again. The only thing Justin could try was to keep dry, but there wasn't much he could do.

"How is she doing?" Alec asked, honest care in his voice.

"She doesn't look good… what do I do?"

"I… I don't know."

Casey grunted again and held her head.

Three consecutive honks rang into the air.

The High School Senior glanced into the rearview mirror and saw an approaching police car. He pressed on the brakes and the car came to a halt. Sarah drove up beside them and stepped out of the vehicle.

Casey quickly opened the door and fell onto her hands and knees. The headache had returned. She voiced her discomfort and slammed her fist into the ground. She was in pain. It was just as worse as the headache she had in the apartment. The outline of her body was still intact. She hadn't completely melted away. It was as if her body was a human shaped bottle and someone filled it with liquid. The rain in the sky fell into her liquid skin. Puddles formed around her.

"Is that her ability?" Sarah asked.

Alec nodded his head.

"No one likes to fight. No one likes to run. But everyone knows the vitality of a situation. Everyone knows when their life is in danger. Everyone handles it in different ways, but the foremost problem that we have to face is whether or not we will allow the circumstances to change our lives…"

Still, falling raindrops continued to join her. Small pools of liquid located at the base of her hands and knees danced in harmony with her agony. She swayed back and forth, trying to make it go away.

"Will we let our lives succumb to the danger?"

She held her head and screamed in anguish. The horrible pain of a piercing headache enveloped her. It was almost unbearable. There was nothing any of them could do. None knew the pain she was experiencing, and none knew what to do to fix it.

"Or will we fight it?" – Mohinder Suresh

* * *

Dawn Freeman held her knees and huddled in the far corner of the white room. She shivered in expectation of what would happen next. It had been only a few hours when she left the body of the janitor and he still hadn't awoken. She was afraid of what would happen when he did. She had stolen more than a weeks worth of his life and abused his power. She knew this to be true. But she didn't know if he remembered any of it, if he was aware of her presence and if he was at all happy about the situation.

Another concern intertwined in her head. The eerie voice on the other side of the glass screen was intriguing to her. Why did he force her to leave the janitor's body? What is he trying to save her from? In her mind, she feared The Voice. But it was not a dreaded fear. It was a reverential fear. She would listen to what he had to say and do what he wanted her to do for the time being. Dawn planned to understand the situation before taking immediate action. For some odd reason, she respected the voice. Anybody who would go through such great lengths to 'save' another person couldn't be as terrifying as she made him out to be.

She looked down at the tray of food lying in front of her feet. It looked delicious. Steak. Mashed potatoes. Green beans and carrots. A cup of water. All of these things looked nice. Even the man who had brought it in, Scott, was nice. But she still waited for the janitor, the guest, to wake up before she ate. It was something of common courtesy.

Suddenly, he stirred.

She froze and waited for what he would do next.

Slowly he got up, rubbing his eyes and clearing his throat. He looked around the white room, obviously confused as to where he was. His eyes circumnavigated the walls until he came to the huddled woman in the corner.

"Hello," he said in strong, yet kind voice.

Dawn smiled and waved at him. "Hi. Are you hungry?"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	24. Mirror, Mirror

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma

Ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Incidents and circumstances have affected each person's life, leading them to a moment of definition. As each person continues down their path towards their destiny, they must face the mysteries and horrors of the unknown.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN "MIRROR, MIRROR"

"Simplicity is nothing more than a figment of the imagination. Anytime something is simple and easy, we find a way to make it complicated and difficult. It is strange, however, how the dichotomy of this system of things is as simple as up and down. What we feel is relative to duality. Every coin has two sides. And Good always has an Evil." – Mohinder Suresh

(Dawn Freeman – Unknown)

"So… what's your name?"

The man nibbled on the piece of steak on the end of his fork before answering. "It's Will."

"My name is Dawn."

"That's a nice name."

"Thanks."

The two people ate the remainder of their food in silence. Dawn had asked Scott to bring in some food for the guest and he brought in a tray with the same array of tasty delicacies as hers. It seemed like Scott's job was nothing more than to bring them food. And based on previous encounters with people who brought her food, Dawn naturally assumed that he could not be trusted.

Will, on the other hand, seemed very trustworthy. There was something about his demeanor that Dawn saw as honest and quite attractive. He did not give the impression that he had any recollection of her inhabitance of his body. There was a sensible awareness about the man. He seemed like he didn't care what anybody else thought about him and yet he acted very polite around her. Will was definitely someone she could trust.

Dawn took the final sip of her cup and put it on the tray. After belching, she stood up and walked around the perimeter of the white room. Will took another bite of the steak, keeping an eye on her.

She ran her hand across the hard, cold surface. For some odd reason, she no longer found the room frightening. When she first awoke, it was the most dreadful thing in the world. But now that she had company, and very good-looking company, she felt warm, secure, even a little bit safe.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she made a second round around the room.

She continued to run her hand across the wall's white surface. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

He nodded his head and finished the last bite of his food. The cup's rim met his lips and the cool drink flowed down into his mouth. After putting the cup down and pushing the tray aside, he stood up and stretched. Dawn continued her walk. He watched her closely.

"Have we met before?" he asked.

"Um, I don't think so."

"That's funny… you look familiar for some reason."

Dawn knew that he was trying to piece together the missing days of his life.

Another silent pause.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"It's funny you should ask that 'cause you didn't ask it when you first woke up. Or even when you were waiting for your food."

"It never occurred to me really…"

"Well, I couldn't tell you where we are 'cause I don't know either."

"Do you remember anything before you came?"

"Not really."

"Neither can I."

"Well, Will," Dawn said leaving the wall and going towards him. "I guess it doesn't matter what happened in the past. All we can do is look to the future, right?"

He nodded, half-convinced.

His mind was still stuck on the subject of his missing memories. She had to think of a way to change the subject. Quickly. "I can possess people," she blurted out. "What can you do?"

Will's face twisted in confusion. "What?"

* * *

"Talk to her, dude."

"No."

"Why?"

"She doesn't want to talk to me."

The four fugitives of the law stopped briefly at a convenience store to get some Tylenol for Casey's headaches. From the time they had escaped from the police to the time they stopped, no one had said a word. Casey's body reformed itself, just like it had the first time and she was just as scared as the first time, too. Now Justin and Alec walked through the aisles of the convenience store, searching for the pain killers.

Justin shook his head. "Dude, she doesn't mean it. She wants to talk to you. She just doesn't know that she wants to talk you."

"No." Alec said again. "I'm just going to keep my distance until she feels like talking."

"So you're going to wait for her to come to you?"

"Yeah."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he laughed.

"All right, Mr. Expert, what would you do?"

"I told you already: I'd go to her."

Alec grabbed a box of Tylenol. "Do you think this is good enough? It says 'extra strength'."

"Sure."

He placed the box on the counter and pulled out his wallet. The clerk took the price and asked if he would like it in a bag, to which he declined. Justin sighed and grabbed his friend by the shoulders. "Talk to her."

Alec brushed him off and turned to leave.

* * *

"Hey!" Dawn waved her hand in front of the surprised face.

He blinked his eyes and slowly returned to the moment. "I, uh… how do you know I have powers?"

Dawn struggled to make up an answer. "Oh, um…well, I have abilities, and we're both locked up together, so I thought that you had them too."

"You're calling it 'abilities'?"

"What else would I call it?"

"I call it power."

"Why?" She asked.

Will contemplated the answer. A small smirk went across his face and he shook his head before sitting down. "I – I don't know."

"Well, when you think of a reason, you can come and tell me."

The room filled with silence once again. It seemed like their conversations were nothing more than something random, a word here or there. It went back and forth, yet, it didn't seem to bother any of them. If there was silence, they'd let it be. And so it was in that silence. No one knew what to say. No one even felt like saying anything. Soon, Dawn began jumping up and down. With a frustrated sigh, she tried one last time. She failed and sat down laughing. "Oh right. I can't fly anymore."

He looked up at her in shock. "You can fly too?"

"Oops."

"Wait," he said getting up. "You can fly too?"

"Well, obviously not anymore… Duh."

"Why can't you fly anymore?"

"Um, 'cause… I, uh…" She looked into his eyes. They stared down into hers, into her soul, and even though she knew he wasn't angry yet, she already felt guilty. She took a deep breath and said, "I was controlling you for the last few days… and I know that you're super strong and you can fly."

"You were-"

"But!" She interjected. "But I would like to say that you have an awesome power, or _powers._"

"When did it happen?"

"I think it was at the New York City Zoo."

Will tried to think of the last thing he remembered. There was a blurry image that was burned into his mind. It was that of a woman. She looked familiar. Long black hair. Soft complexion. Slowly, he pieced the puzzle together. He looked at the woman in front of him finally realizing the truth. "It was you! That's why you look so familiar: you were the one I saw right before I blacked out."

"Yup. That was me." She beamed with pride.

"You took my body without my permission!"

"Hey, there's no need to get all 'yelly'."

"You took a week's worth of my life!" he yelled at her. "Why would you do that?!"

"Why _wouldn't_ I do it? You had a completely awesome power and I wanted to have that it. And I had the means to take it so I did. What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?" He walked away from her and breathed roughly though his nostrils. "What's the big deal? You'd have to be psycho to do something like that."

Dawn's innocent smile disappeared and in its place was a bubbling volcano of anger. Slowly her lip twitched. Her hand clenched and her teeth grinded together.

Will continued on. "You don't just go around taking people's body without their permission. What, are you crazy or something?"

"Don't call me crazy!" Dawn shot back. That word caused a nerve to snap and she was the one who was mad now. "I've had people calling me crazy for the last six years of my life and it gets a little annoying after a while!"

Will was surprised by her sudden outburst.

"And especially when I _know_ that I'm not crazy. There _are_ people reading about me! There _is_ a writer writing every single word of my life! Okay? Don't call me crazy!"

He nodded his head.

"Okay?"

Words fumbled out of his mouth. "Um, yeah, sure."

She took a deep breath and turned around from the shocked man. Like an angry child, she pouted and refused to look at the person who made her mad in the first place.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Dawn, I didn't… I didn't know."

She looked at him. He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. Dawn wanted to shake him off, but a strange inkling in her stomach made her resist her inclination to do so. "I just met you, Will," she said. "But for some reason I can't stay mad at you."

"Is it my smile?"

"Yeah," she smiled back. "I think it's your smile."

* * *

"Casey, talk to me."

She shook her head.

"Casey, you can't just not talk to me forever."

She looked away.

"God! You're being so immature!"

"I'm being immature?!"

Alec looked down. Once again he didn't mean to say what he knew was hurtful, but he wasn't thinking. Anger and frustration blinded his conscience and almost any possible door to common sensibility.

"Alec, you have no right to call me immature. If anybody is immature, it's you. I have every right to ignore you. I trusted you and what do you do? You lie to my face."

"I didn't lie."

"You kept information from me…"

"Casey, what's the big deal?" he said. "I didn't tell you that I was special. So what?"

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"Casey-"

"No!" She grabbed her onto her seat belt and pulled on it. She was irritated, more than irritated. Her palms wrapped around the seat belt again. The locking mechanism clicked. Furiously, she tried to unlock it, but the more she tried, the more she got caught up in the belt. Now completely embarrassed, she flung it off of her body and looked out of the window.

The weather had gotten a lot worse. The storm had become as angry as she was. Buckets of water descended from dark heavens onto the earth below. The grass on the ground and the trees in the field was soaked up in the fury of it all. Bright strands of charged light cracked into the sky and lit it up. It was followed closely by the clap of God's hand. Casey jumped a little at the awesome presence.

Silence fell upon the two people. Alec looked down. He was trying to think of any possible way to say the right thing. Everything seemed so foolish. Even though he wanted to patch things up, he still couldn't unwrap his mind from the complete absurdity of her argument.

He took a deep breath and decided to dive head on into the dispute. "Tell me, Casey. Talk to me." He paused. She did not stir. She did not respond, but he was not going to give up. "I can't make things better if I don't understand."

Her gaze was still fixated on the scenery outside of the car. "You can't…you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"Tell me. I'll try."

Slowly she turned her head towards him. "Do you love me?"

"Yes… yes I do."

"I thought _I_ did. I told myself that I did." She paused. "I thought I did when I told you my secret." Casey repositioned herself, but she did not look at his face. She would not look into his eyes, only at her shoes or hands. Slow ramblings began to fall off of her lips. "I really did too, Alec, I loved you. You were the only person that I _knew_ would never lie to me or hurt me… I _knew_ that I could tell you my secret and I _knew_ that you wouldn't hate me like my family did…"

Alec looked at her soft face.

"But I was just being a stupid little girl…"

"No-"

"Alec, you may think that isn't a big deal, but it is to me. I thought that I was alone… I thought something was wrong with me, but when you said all of those sweet things the night we ran away, I felt safe. I felt like you were the only one that I could ever love… but…" Her eyes began to fill with tears. "You said that you love me, right?"

"I do."

"That's what hurts the most. If you really loved me, then you would have trusted me with your secret. You told Justin, for crying out loud! You can trust your best friend, but you can't trust the girl that you love?"

"I…I…" Alec tried to answer her but she was right.

Justin turned around. "Please don't drag me into this."

Casey finally looked at the High School Senior. "Here's why I'm not talking to you any more, Alec: _You_ _don't love me_."

"How can you say that?" he protested. She shook her head and refused to hear what he had to say. He grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. "No, how can you make that kind of decision for me? I told you that I love you."

"You don't mean it."

His voice rose, as did his frustration. "How can you make that decision for me?!" he repeated.

"Damn it, Alec, if you really loved me, then you would have told me your secret! You would have trusted me to love you anyway! But no, you say that you love me, but you don't really mean it. I can't trust a person who lies right to my face!"

He looked into her eyes. She was firm in her resolve. She meant every word that she had spoken. The fight was over. He nodded his head and accepted his defeat.

"I… I-I'm sorry, Casey," he managed to say.

The car passed by a sign. Sarah perked up and spoke into the silence. "Hey, look at where we are."

Justin chuckled a little. "We made it to Washington, D.C. after all…"

Casey didn't hear. She looked at Alec. He didn't smile. He didn't look back. All he did was lean his head against the window and close his eyes. There was loss in his body, sadness in his face. She looked away as well. And the clouds continued their downpour on the dejected inhabitants of the police car. It was more than melancholy. Like the two people who were no longer talking, the weather outside was miserable.

(Wayne Rockwell – Washington, D.C.)

The train doors opened and a large river of people filed out. Every single person took a step off of the convoy and off in the direction that their feet led them. The last to walk into the sprinkling weather in Washington, D.C. was a bodyguard, a nurse, and a rock star. They carried their luggage behind them and they walked together. Quickly the train left and the three individuals were left alone.

The train station had become strangely desolate.

A quiet hush fell across the world and silence entered into Wayne's ears.

"Oh no," he said, but no sound came out.

David held his head again. He grabbed the rock star by the shoulder and spoke an inaudible word. But he could read his lips. He mouthed a warning of impending danger.

Bodies appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. Dark figures dressed in black. They surrounded the trio, taking away any sort of an escape. The three of them backed up into a backwards huddle. Everyone was facing out, with their backs facing each other. David pushed his wife behind him and put up his fists. Wayne slowly brought his fists up.

He tried to use his power to blind them.

But there was no sound. He had no sound to convert.

Once again, he was powerless.

The three of them waited for the opponents to make the first move.

The one in front of Wayne tried to grab him, but he violently fought its grasp. Suddenly, all of the black figures moved in at the same time. Overcoming his fear, the rock star tried his best to protect his friends. David swung his arms and punched anything that moved.

But there were too many. And they overwhelmed them.

Something grabbed onto Jessica's hand and pulled her from the protection of her husband. She tried to call out for help, but the absence of sound hindered her pleas.

David saw one of the dark figures taking her away and he tried to fight his way towards her. There was pain, a sharp, shocking sensation that ran throughout his entire body. Falling upon the floor, he looked up only to see Jessica disappear.

Wayne fought as hard as he could. He wouldn't let David down again. Whenever a black image went across his line of sight he swung his arm. Courageously he fought to escape. But there were too many bodies, too much pain. He saw David disappear. He yelled as loud as he could. One of the dark figures wrapped their arms around his body and pulled him to the ground. He tried to fight. But a sharp, shocking sensation ran through his body. And he went limp.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	25. I Defend

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The Mental Patient and The Janitor spent some time getting to know each other while the two high school students worked out their personal issues. But, upon arrival to Washington, D.C. the rock star and his bodyguard were captured by unknown assailants. The story continues…

And finally, The Rogue Agent will be revealed.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN "I DEFEND"

"Death is unnatural. We were not meant to die. The cells in our body continually renew themselves. Our heart keeps pumping blood into our system. But for an unknown reason we grow old. The cells die off and the heart stops giving blood. What makes our bodies die off after years and years of life?"

Darkness.

Wayne opened his eyes to the complete absence of light. There was nothing that he could see. He tried to move his hand, but something was restricting his movement. Although he could not see anything, he knew that he was sitting in a chair and his arms were locked down somehow to a table. He tried to speak but no sound came out of his mouth. Along with the lack of sight, apparently, there was also the absence of sound.

"Is it human imperfection? It could be. But sometimes another factor is involved. Fate intervenes and takes someone who is meant to perish. And there's nothing we as imperfect humans can do to stop fate." – Mohinder Suresh

(Wayne Rockwell – Unknown)

Suddenly a light flashed on. It came from an old overhead lamp that was just above the tabletop. It did not provide much, but it confirmed that he was chained to a table. His hands were directly in front, handcuffed and chained to the steel table. As a prisoner? He did not know.

There was a long pause. Wayne sat where he was, eyes adjusting to the source of vision. He wriggled his fingers and nervously tapped his foot on the hard floor. He tried to calm his breathing, but the anticipation of the unknown was hard to accept.

Two gloved hands slithered through the darkness and onto the table. Underneath the leather palms was a miniature chalkboard and between the fingers was a piece of chalk. The owner of the gloved hands wrote something down and slid it to the rock star.

_Do you know who I am?_ It read.

Wayne struggled with the writing utensil, but managed to write his reply.

_The Rogue Agent._

The mysterious visitor took the chalkboard and disappeared into the darkness that surrounded them. The light turned off. And Wayne was alone once again in _silence._ He tried to yell for help but it was with no avail. A hard substance struck him in the face and he blacked out.

(David and Jessica Donner – Unknown)

"Where… am I?"

"David!"

"Jessica?"

"I can't see anything."

"Stay calm, I'll find a way out of this."

Light burst into their pupils as the fluorescent squares on the ceiling turned on. Jessica closed her eyes and waited for them to adjust. David cringed under the brightness, but did not look away. A dark silhouette drifted in. At first, he could only see the outline of the body. But slowly, the face came into view. Then the eyes, the nose, and a devilish grin.

It was a man. "You can try, David, but you won't be able to," he said.

David looked to his right. He had to make sure Jessica was okay. His wife was tied to a chair. Her arms were bound behind her back and her ankles were secured to the legs of the seat. She slowly opened her eyes and caught the glance of her husband. She managed to smile to let him know that she was fine for the time being.

He turned his attention at the man in front of him. The person had short hair that was more like a faded haircut than anything. Small specs of facial hair grew out of his chin and connected with his bottom lip. Strong cheekbones protruded from his skin. It made his eyes look smaller. The man was wearing a black uniform similar to the ones that the Rogue Soldiers were wearing on the train.

"And don't even try to break out of those chains," he added.

David realized that he was not bound by rope, as his wife was. Steel chains were wrapped around his strong wrists and feet. While keeping his stare on The Grinning Man, he subtly tested the chains' durability. They were weak.

The man grinned again.

"Where's Wayne?" David said calmly.

"I'd worry about yourself right now."

"Where's Wayne?!" he repeated more forcefully.

The devilish grin remained. "He's fine," he said. "I'd worry about yourself right now."

(Dawn Freeman and William Lawson – Unknown)

Will leaned his head against the hard wall. He placed his hands in his lap and crossed his legs underneath him. He looked at the strange and curious woman that sat beside him on the wall. She didn't seem crazy, as she had told him during their fight. She seemed carefree and lighthearted, but not crazy.

Will had found a strange quality of sadness to the woman. She wasn't depressed, but she also wasn't extremely happy. The second she had yelled at him for offending her, he felt it. It was an emotion of loss. Maybe it was loss off a loved one. Maybe it was a loss of hope. Whatever it was, Will found it to be her weakness. There was an empty void within the woman. And he pitied her.

"So how was it?" he asked.

She titled her head in question. "What do you mean?"

"Being in my body. Having my power. How was it?"

She smiled. "It was awesome."

He laughed.

"Seriously, it was the most liberating thing in my life." Dawn looked around the room. Her eyes pierced the blank walls and searched for a pattern. It occupied her as they sat in confinement. Being in the white room was not as terrifying as it had been at the mental institution. Now, unlike then, she let her mind wander and think about arbitrary things.

Will began to speak into the silence that had enveloped them. "You know, I was thinking about what you said about us."

Dawn never took her eyes from the wall. "Oh?"

"Yeah, and I have a good reason for why I call my abilities 'power.'"

She did not answer, but he knew she was listening.

"Power isn't tangible," he said. "No one can hold it in their hands. But… but when someone has power, everyone knows. They respect them or fear them because of it. There's evidence that they are _powerful_. So, what I'm trying to say is that our abilities are the evidence that _we_ are powerful. That we have something that no other person has… it's power."

Dawn smiled at the last part. "And yet… there's always going to be someone who is more powerful than the next."

"Yeah," Will added his sentiments.

Another brief pause came over them both as their words sunk into their hearts and minds.

"So…" she said breaking the silence and changing the subject. "Why do you have more than one 'power'. I've always wondered that 'cause I can only do one thing while you can do, like, three."

Will thought. "I don't know. Flight, strength and invulnerability have almost nothing in common."

"Hey, Will," Dawn said. "I was thinking right now, and with all of your powers, why don't you just break out of here?"

"Hmm," he thought out loud. "I guess I could... I don't know why I never considered it."

"Then let's consider it." A smile went across her face.

They stood up and went to the door. There was a golden handle on the right side. Will grabbed it and prepared to rip it open. But, surprisingly, he twisted the knob and it swung open easily. Dawn poked her head out of the doorway and into the unknown.

There was a hallway that went to the left and to the right. To the left there were more doors similar to theirs and the path ended at a wall. But to the right, there was a large room that looked very much like a living room. There was furniture that connected with a kitchen complete with tile, a refrigerator and a stove. In one of the seats sat Scott, the man who brought them food. He was reading a newspaper.

He looked up from what he was reading and smiled. "I was wondering when you two were going to come out of there." There was a rugged yet pleasurable tone to his voice. It was unsettling and relaxing at the same time.

Dawn cautiously stepped into the living room and took a good look at her surroundings. "What is this place?"

"This is the Safe House."

"The Safe House," she repeated, still untrusting of the man speaking the words.

Will took a seat in one of the padded chairs and felt the material. "Why was the door unlocked?"

"We're free to go wherever we want in the Safe House," Scott answered.

"Are… there others here?" Dawn couldn't help but ask.

Scott stood up. "Yes… which reminds me, I have some business to attend to." He folded the newspaper and put it on the coffee table. His hand reached into his pockets and brought out a pair of _black gloves_. After putting them on, he walked down the hallway. "Feel free to have whatever's in the pantry," he said as he walked away.

Dawn and Will looked at each other in shock.

"Well," she said going to the kitchen. "I _am_ kind of hungry."

* * *

Wayne sat in a white room. The walls were hard and cold, bitter and rigid. He had pounded his fists on the walls screaming for help until his voice became hoarse. No one would answer. In his mind, he knew that The Rogue Agent was toying with his mind. Playing with him like a cat with a mouse before it devours its prey. He knew that the inevitable was just an hour away. Or a minute. Or a second. There was no way of telling when they would take him back into the Dark Room again. The Rogue Agent hadn't tortured him yet, which was surprising. But Wayne reasoned that they were just waiting, waiting for the perfect moment.

The only thoughts that ran through his mind were that of David and Jessica, of how he had let them down. He didn't know where they were or if they were okay. For all he knew, they could be dead or dying. And he placed their pain on himself. If he wasn't such a coward, there might have been a chance for escape.

His only regret was letting David and Jessica down.

The door opened and a Rogue Soldier stepped in, followed by two more guards.

Wayne allowed them to bind and gag him. There was nothing that he could do. He sighed as he prepared himself for the imminent torture. A blindfold was put around his eyes and he was guided out of the room to meet his destiny.

* * *

The Grinning Man stood in front of them both, just watching them. He did not mind if they would converse with each other. He actually listened to what they were saying and put in his own twisted opinions into the conversation. Whenever they said something amusing to him, he'd let them know. His nonchalant attitude was almost as disturbing as the way he looked at Jessica.

"I'm… I'm scared, David," she whispered.

"It's okay. We're going to get out of here."

"You keep saying that, David, but it's not going to happen."

He glared at The Grinning Man. "Will you stop doing that?"

"Or what?"

David took a deep breath to keep his emotions in check.

"What are you gonna do? Take away my birthday?" His sense of humor was dry, but it was just enough to send a chill down their backs. "You can't do anything," The Grinning Man continued. "I can do whatever I want and you can't do a single thing. Like, what if I did this?" He pressed his lips against Jessica's and kissed her.

A tear slid down her cheek but she put on a brave face.

"What are you gonna do, David?" he grinned.

He clenched his fists and tested the chains around his wrists again, building up his strength, preparing to strike.

"You forget that I'm the one with the gun." He placed his hand on the handle of his pistol and took it out of the holster. The devilish grin would not leave his face. Tauntingly, he brandished his weapon in front of the bodyguard's face. "What are you gonna do?"

In one quick motion, David broke out of the chains and grabbed him by the throat. He pushed him into the wall and began to squeeze.

David spat in his face. "What are _you_ going to do?! Huh?! What are you going do now?!" he yelled into his face. The man squirming between his palms gasped for air. "Don't ever touch my wife again! You got that?! You filthy piece of sh-"

A gunshot rang throughout cold room.

David fell back, surprised.

The Grinning Man got up and pointed his gun and fired again.

"David!" Jessica struggled with the restraints to get to her husband's side.

Gunshot after blaring gunshot echoed off the walls. David grunted in pain as he fell back into the opposite wall. His body twitched as the other man walked forward and fired every single bullet in the round at point-blank range. The silver projectiles collided with his tough skin, leaving imprints in his chest.

The bodyguard slid down and collapsed onto the floor.

"How did you break out of those chains?!" he yelled as he reloaded his gun. After a click, the reloaded weapon pressed against the fallen man's chest. "You're stronger than we thought."

David breathed heavily. He was in pain. He had experienced a gunshot before, but never at point-blank range. One shot from a safe distance was tolerable, but the constant barrage of fire was more than he could handle. The pain was excruciating. It hurt terribly.

"So you're bullet-proof too?" The Grinning Man asked as he pulled the trigger again.

David wailed in pain.

"No!" Jessica yelled.

The Grinning Man turned his head and faced her. "You don't like it when I shoot your husband?"

"Please," she begged. "Don't."

He pulled the trigger again.

"No!" she screamed. "Please!" she shook her head, tears freely falling. "Please don't!"

He pulled the trigger again.

David closed his eyes and held in his cries. He didn't want his wife to know that he was in pain.

He pulled the trigger again.

Jessica could only watch the horrifying scene. There was nothing she could do. The Grinning Man continued to empty his clip in spite of anything she said. The devilish grin would not leave his face. She knew that David was hurting. She could feel his anguish. No matter how much he tried to fight it, she knew that the pain was still there. The thunderous boom of the unloading weapon bounced back to her, each one more sickening than the last.

"Please stop!"

David smiled and coughed. "It's okay, honey. I'm… I'm fine. I'm fine."

"David," The Grinning Man sneered. "You're dead."

The barrel of the pistol kissed David's temple.

A gunshot.

David went limp and crumbled to the floor.

Jessica's mouth was left open. The bang of the pistol resonated off the walls and into every corner of the room. Salty tears rolled off of her lips. She thought he was bullet proof. She thought he could not get hurt. But there he was, lying on the floor.

Jessica's mouth hung open, lips quivering in shock. For a split second she could not feel anything. Everything went numb. For a split second, the only thing that surged through her body was sadness. Agony. Fear. Every grievous emotion rolled into one. And it left her speechless.

The Grinning Man walked away from the body near the wall and towards Jessica. "Oops," he chuckled. "I didn't mean to kill 'im. But, you know how it is when someone's choking you to death. You just wanna get back at them…" The devilish grin would not leave his face. "You just wanna _kill_ them."

She began to cry. She could not hold it in.

"It's okay, sweetheart. He seemed like a boring guy to live with anyway."

A heartbeat.

Jessica looked up. "David?" she whispered.

"It's only me and you, babe."

Jessica glared into the eyes of the man who had murdered her husband. Hatred burned in her heart. Anger fueled her rage. And it was building stronger and stronger the more she thought about it. All she wanted to do was to kill him. She closed her eyes and concentrated. All she wanted to do was kill him. Her mind sensed the organs in his body and the blood that ran through his veins. All she wanted to do was _kill_ him.

If she could heal a person, she could hurt a person, too.

The man stopped where he was. Blood spurted out of his mouth.

Jessica concentrated harder.

His eyes got wider as the pain increased. "What…" he tried to say. "What are you doing to me?!"

He coughed and blood splattered on the ground at his feet once more. His legs grew weak and he fell upon his hands and knees. The Grinning Man tried to breath but slowly he began to decay from the inside out. The organs inside his body turned into mush. His brain became soft, pulpy mass. Slowly his skin began to melt off. It fell from his bones and dripped to the ground. His face was disfigured into a putrid pulp. The devilish grin melted off of his lips. Jessica stared at the pink and red paste that used to be The Grinning Man. The stinking pile of flesh oozed on the steel floor.

Jessica took a deep breath and exhaled. She had just killed a man. Hot tears stained her delicate cheek as the realization came over her. Her hands shook. She felt like vomiting.

The woman closed her eyes, unable to look at it anymore.

And she vomited.

* * *

Wayne once again opened his eyes to the familiar darkness of the Dark Room. He tried to speak again, but once again, he was on mute. He kept his head down and waited for the inevitable. The lamp turned on and the gloved hands returned. A message was written down on the chalkboard and, once again, it was given to him.

_Can I trust you not to use your power?_ it wrote.

Wayne nodded. He wasn't about to start a fight.

Silence continued to fill the room. Wayne kept his dejected demeanor with his lowered head.

"Wayne," said a voice.

He looked up. "I'm ready."

"For what?" The voice sounded interested.

"For death."

"Imperfect humans cannot stop fate. But we do choose our own destinies."

"Wayne," spoke The Voice. "I am not here to kill you."

"But… aren't you The Rogue Agent?" The rock star stammered.

"I am."

"Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Like everything in life, we are given a choice. A chance. A chance to change the world forever." - Mohinder Suresh

"Perhaps it would help if I introduced myself first." The Rogue Agent leaned into the light to reveal his face. "My name is Scott. Scott Martin. And I need your help."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	26. The Light

Special thank to my beta E for Emma

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. As Jessica watched horribly as her husband was murdered, she exhibited the full potential of her ability. Dawn and Will finally left their mysterious prison to find that it wasn't a prison at all. And Wayne Rockwell met the surprise of his life: The Rogue Agent. There have been certain unanswered questions throughout Ordinary People. And tonight, many will be answered.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN "THE LIGHT"

(Wayne Rockwell – Unknown)

"Maybe it would help if I introduced myself first." The Rogue Agent leaned into the light to reveal his face. "My name is Scott. Scott Martin. And I need your help."

Wayne stared at the man in the light. There was genuine sincerity in his voice, but whether or not the rock star could trust him was up for debate. His eyes were filled with urgency and intensity. Wayne was filled with a mixture of shock and confusion. He did not reply. A brief pause filled the room and was enveloped by the darkness around them.

"I take it by your silence that you're ready to listen to me."

Wayne remained quiet and stared at the Rogue Agent.

Scott took a deep breath. "What I'm about to tell you is true. Everything that has happened is in direct correlation to what will happen next." He paused for a response from the rock star, but received none. He continued. "First, allow me to inject you with something… it'll help with the 'remembering' process."

He pulled out a device that looked like a small pistol, inserted a small round cartridge into the back, and locked it into place. Wayne nervously tapped his fingers on the table. "This isn't going to kill me or anything, right?"

The Rogue Agent shook his head. "This will only unlock the memories hidden in your subconscious."

"Okay," he replied uneasily.

"Now, there may be some temporary discomfort," he warned. The device touched Wayne's arm, just below the bicep. Its cold barrel pressed against his skin and a sharp pain erupted throughout his entire body. A tingling sensation remained after he pulled away. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head, the sensation wearing off. "Um, yeah."

"Now… let me tell you how this all started."

(David and Jessica Donner – Unknown)

She sat in her chair and cried. The tears fell out of eyes and onto the hard ground. Little puddles of salty liquid stained the steel floor, forever embedding it with the marks of loss. She looked at his motionless body once again. Every good memory and every good thing he ever did for her flashed at once, filling her with a feeling of happiness. But the feeling soon disappeared and it was replaced with sorrow.

The one thing that hurt the most was that she couldn't do more to save him. She healed people before, but she never _resurrected_ a person before. She looked down at the stinking pile of The Grinning Man remained on the floor.

At least she avenged his death.

But the pain of loss outweighed the pride of revenge.

In the cold, dark room, she sat tied and bound with nowhere else to go. Her husband was murdered in front of her eyes and now she was alone. Jessica did all she could. She pleaded and begged, but nothing could prevent the awful thing from happening. His heartbeat haunted her mind.

She looked at his body. "I thought you couldn't die! I thought you were bulletproof!" she yelled. It was all out of frustration and sadness. "I couldn't save you, David. I'm sorry!" She hung her head again and wept. There wasn't much she could do now.

Her soft breathing and falling tears were the only sounds in the room.

(Alec Lions - Washington, D.C.)

Four people walked across the outskirts of Washington, D.C., separated like total strangers. In the lead was Alec Lions, the criminal high school senior from New York City. He walked with his head down, hands in his pockets, kicking a loose piece of gravel from the road. His friend, Justin, walked beside him, holding onto his backpack. Sarah White and Casey Walker walked behind them. A few yards away was a deserted police cruiser.

There was a tense atmosphere around the travelers, a dark and depressing light that only dimmed the longer the silence between them continued. Alec wanted so badly to be close to Casey again, to see her smile instead of frown. The worst part was the knowledge that he had caused her to frown and to be sad. He wanted to make things right between them, but ever since their latest fight, he knew inside that she had made up her mind. He was nothing more than another acquaintance to her. He truly did love her, but _trust_ was an important element in their relationship and he did not show that he trusted her.

* * *

Scott took a deep breath and began. "Seven years ago a man named John Mathers roamed the streets of Washington, D.C., claiming that he could sense people with extraordinary abilities. But no one listened to him. Everyone thought he was just your average ordinary bum on the street. John continued to tell people that he could sense these people with abilities and everyone continued to ignore him.

"One day, a bank robbery took place. But the strange thing was that no one walked out of the building. The security tapes showed a man walk into the vault with a gun but never come out. It was one of the most bizarre cases because not only was he missing, but so was the money. John Mathers knew it was a man with abilities. He was standing outside of the bank when it all happened. That day he realized that not only could he sense who these people were, but he could also define what ability they possessed if he was close enough. And this particular criminal had the gift of invisibility. He would have gotten away too, if it weren't for John. He grabbed him and held him until the authorities could take him away.

"That day, he got minimal recognition for what he had done. But little did he know that the government was keeping a close eye on John. Once Connor Franklins, The Invisible Man, was captured, he was taken to a secret facility in the White House to try and understand how he could turn invisible. They tried everything they could to unravel the mystery behind his gift, but they couldn't figure anything out. The government became so obsessed that they kidnapped John Mathers and forced him to find more people with abilities. And more came. Little by little men and women with abnormalities were brought in.

"The government secretly built a base of operations underneath the Washington Monument where they could test them. It was called The Silence Project. And when the government found out that these individuals could be used as weapons, they did just so. The training soon began for the group of people codenamed the Weapons of the Government. John Mathers watched hopelessly as each person he found was brainwashed to do the government's bidding. No one had a choice to the matter. It was either become a weapon or be killed. Many were killed, some by gunpoint but others by the serum that was used to brainwash them. The serum was too unstable and many couldn't handle it.

"Two years passed and the government had five subjects who reacted well with the brainwash treatment. Five individuals that were trained hard to become weapons. Each one served a unique purpose to what the government needed. I was one of those five. So were you. We did a few missions, all of them successful…"

Wayne closed his eyes and images flashed across his eyes. Memories of the successful missions echoed in his head. He tried to fight it. There was no way The Rogue Agent was telling the truth, yet he could remember everything. The memories were as clear as the light that illuminated the dark room. Like a deluge of constant knowledge, the memories flooded in with intensity greater than his nightmares.

Scott continued. "But soon I found out the truth. I found out about the atrocities that the government was doing to us. I found out about the subjects who didn't react well with the serum, the ones that died, about the ones that were killed in cold blood because they refused to become a Weapon of the Government. And I found out about John Mathers. He hid away, barely alive in some cold prison cell."

Wayne remembered a fight. He kept his eyes closed, trying to remember every single detail of the event. It was blurry and vague. But as The Rogue Agent continued to speak, the images became clearer.

"I wasn't going to be held against my will. So I fought back. There was no way I was going to be used as a test subject for the government. But in the end, I lost. They put me into solitary confinement because I was deemed hostile. They planned to have me executed. The government decided that the Silence Project should be shut down. They reasoned that if I could go rogue, so could the other subjects. They erased your memories and sent you out into the world.

"But they never planned to forget about you. They never planned to shut down The Silence Project. They were going to kill me, refine the serum and then bring you all back. They just wanted to make sure I _thought_ you all were going to be okay. I was smarter than that. I knew what they were going to do, so I broke out. I stole all of the information on the old team and I rescued John from captivity. And I've been spending that last year and a half finding all of you, building up an organization to fight against the government for what they did to us."

* * *

"I've been thinking," Justin finally spoke up. "And I think I know what to call you."

No one answered.

"Mutants. I think you should be called Mutants."

Sarah spat on the ground. "Are you kidding me?"

"Why not?" Justin asked. "In X-Men people with powers were called Mutants."

"It sounds negative," Alec spoke up, barely above a whisper.

"It's not, though," he shook his head. "If you think about it, every single one of your powers are mutations. And a mutation can be for the good or for the bad. Your gifts are for the greater good. So being called a Mutant isn't a bad thing at all. It's correct."

"I think it's stupid," Sarah spoke up.

"Oh yeah?" Justin retaliated. "Well I think _this_ is stupid."

She sighed. "What? This conversation or ditching the car? It was the only option. It would look really suspicious if I were driving a police car-"

"Not that," he broke in. "Going into Washington, D.C. is stupid. We're running from the law and we're actually going towards the city that is home to the FBI headquarters. Do you have any idea how many police will be there?"

Sarah sighed once again. "We just need to think of where we want to go once we get out of the city. We'll only be here for a few hours at the most."

A powerful gust of wind blew around them. The fall weather was beginning to turn into winter. The wind was colder and the rain was harder. Soon there would be blankets of white snow. A newspaper article surfed on the current of air that blew into their faces and got caught onto Alec's chest. He tore it off of his body and glanced at the headline. It read: _Fastest boy in New York runs from the law_.

Justin noticed the headline as well. "Hey, you made it into the news."

Alec read the first couple of sentences out loud. "It says 'Alec Lions was the fastest track runner in the East Coast, but all of the glory of a track trophy wasn't enough. He was _hungry for more_.' That's bullsh-!"

"What else does it say?" Sarah interjected, coming closer and reading over his shoulder.

"Um, it goes on to say how I would beat up my stepfather and rob banks because I wanted more glory… and that I took the stolen money and kidnapped Casey and Justin before I dropped out of high school." He threw the paper on the ground in disgust. "Who the hell writes this crap?!"

Sarah bent down and picked it up. She read over the last paragraph. "Damn," she said. "It also says that I'm aiding you. They know I'm helping you. At the very end it says 'and if anybody sees these fugitives of the law you are to report them immediately. 'There's even pictures of us, Alec."

He sighed and shook his head.

Sarah stared at the written words on the page. She looked at her picture and the picture of the High School Senior. The paper crumbled in her hand and she stood up. "Is any of it true?"

Alec continued to walk. "Not all of it."

"What part is?" she asked.

"The part about me robbing banks."

"So you really did rob those banks."

"Yeah," he sighed. "But I like I told you before, I didn't have a choice. Chris forced me."

"He knew about your ability?"

"Yeah."

"Did he abuse you?"

"Sometimes."

"Why didn't you tell anybody?"

"I was a stupid kid back then. I needed shelter and I needed food. He provided it so I stole from the banks he told me to steal from." Alec stopped walking. He looked at Casey before turning his attention back to Sarah. "I'm not saying I'm proud of what I did, but I did it. There's no turning back now."

"Your stepfather was the one who told the FBI of what you did. He basically told us what was written in that newspaper article."

"He's not my stepfather," he replied angrily.

"What?"

"He was just some guy that happened to see me use my ability. He was nothing more than a crook looking for another way to get more money."

"So… you were an orphan?"

"Yeah." Alec turned around leaving the conversation at the abrupt ending. The other three individuals stood still, watching him leave. He did not look back. "C'mon, we have to get moving if we want to get out of this city."

Justin re-shouldered his backpack and followed after his friend. Casey quickened her pace and joined Justin. Sarah tossed the crumpled-up newspaper into a nearby trash container and went after them. The four travelers continued on through Washington, D.C. The grey sky drifted overhead. A chilling gust of wind blew again and small specks of white drifted out of the clouds and down surface.

* * *

A heartbeat.

She shook her head. Jessica did not think it to be real. Too many false heartbeats echoed in her ears. She had heard them before and she thought it to be nothing more than an old memory haunting her. She shook her head again. "David, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" a weak voice said from across the room.

Her head shot up. "David?"

He coughed and remained on the floor but he smiled.

More tears streamed down her face. "David? You're- you're alive!" Immediately she began to heal the wounds inside him. Now that she knew he was alive, she wanted to make sure he stayed that way.

"Come on," his voice was very weak. "You think a few bullets are going to kill me?"

"I thought you… you died- you were dead."

"I'm a lot stronger than you think," he coughed again. Even with all that happened, he still managed to make a joke, to make the situation lighter. "But everything's gonna be okay now."

She smiled. Believing him.

The door on the right wall opened and a man walked in. He looked at Jessica, then at David, then to the pink paste that used to be the guard on the floor. "What happened here?!" he yelled, his voice squeaked with fright.

Neither of them answered.

"Oh, God," he said as he left the room.

Once again there was silence as neither David or Jessica said a word. David had survived. It was a miracle, even if he had the gift of bulletproof skin. It was a miracle. But he was in so much pain. It was hard to see him in such agony. Hurting so badly. Jessica smiled again. But he was alive.

The forced breathing of David was the only sound when the door flung open. The scared guard walked in with another man. The other man looked of Asian descent, with a goatee around his lips.

"What do we do?" the scared guard said.

"Let's take them to the Safe House. I'll report to Scott and tell him what happened here."

Jessica looked at the Asian man before he brought his fist back. The last thing she remembered was his fist.

* * *

Wayne opened his eyes. His pupils slowly adapted to the brightness of the overhead lamp in the room. The Rogue Agent stared at him, once again waiting for a response. The rock star took a deep breath before finally speaking. "Why should I believe you?"

"Why would I lie?"

"The first night I was attacked by one of your assassins and I was paralyzed by… something. I don't know what happened, but afterwards I had nightmares of events that you were just telling me." He glared at the man on the other side of the table. "How do I know you didn't just give me false memories?"

The Rogue Agent thought about his answer before giving one to Wayne's question. A small smile formed on his lips. "You don't. You don't really have any guarantee that I did or didn't fabricate anything. But I have this." He slid a manila folder across the smooth surface of the table. On the top right hand corner was Wayne's name and stamped across the center was the word _classified._ "This is the file that the government made during our time as teammates."

The locks around his wrists opened. He lifted his hands out of the restraints. For a split second he thought about blinding him and finding escape, but the folder called out to him. His curiosity got the better of him. The rock star delicately flipped through the information in the folder. Everything was there: his name, his mother's name, where he lived…everything. "How… how do I know you didn't make this up too?"

"You don't, Wayne."

It seemed like anything that The Rogue Agent was going to say could be true of false. There was no way of telling what he could believe. Wayne bit his lip. He clenched his fists. He had to choose one way or the other. "Okay," he began. "Let's say everything you've told me is true. I met a man named James Lee who told me quite the opposite about you. Who am I to believe? A man who saved my life or a man who tried to take it from me twice?"

Scott smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I want you to meet someone." He stood up and out of range of the light that the lamp provided. "Turn the lights on, Destiny."

"The knowledge of our future is unknowable. Our existence in itself is a mystery. But as the light on the roadway becomes ever brighter, our destiny becomes clearer and clearer."

The little lamp above Wayne's head turned off. For a brief moment he could see nothing. Suddenly the darkness in the room disappeared. Bright bulbs in the ceiling revealed a white room similar to the one he was in before. But that wasn't what caught his attention. Six people stood in front of him. All were dressed in uniform clothing. There was a tall, attractive woman with long black hair. A man wearing goggles over his eyes stood next to her. Another woman, younger than the first, smiled at the rock star. Scott, The Rogue Agent, crossed his arms. And James Lee stood next to him.

"James?!" Wayne gasped. "I… I thought you died!"

"There's a lot of things that you _thought_ were true, Wayne," James smirked.

"If we really want to know the truth, we'll let the events in our life illuminate the prospect of our future and to whatever lies ahead." – Mohinder Suresh

The rock star sat in his chair. Lost of words, images, and memories of the first five individuals flashed across his mind. He remembered them. He remembered the missions that they executed together. He stared at each person's face. He still didn't know if The Rogue Agent could be trusted, but curiosity got the better of him. "Okay, Scott," he finally said. "Tell me more."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	27. The Day's Beginning

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. The Nurse learned that her husband was not dead, but he learned a valuable lesson about his invulnerability. And Wayne, the rock star, learned the truth about The Rogue Agent and his lost memories. Follow as the next chapter of Ordinary People continues…

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN "THE DAY'S BEGINNING"

(David Donner – Unknown)

David opened his eyes. He was in a white room. His head hurt and his body ached. The memory of someone shooting him nearly to death was burned into his mind. He closed his eyes, trying to forget the horrible memory, but the gunshots echoed throughout his consciousness. He touched his chest where the bullets hit him. His fingers ran across small indentations. He sighed and opened his eyes once again.

As he slowly sat up, the room came into full view. Rubbing his face, David saw his wife lying on the floor. He rushed over to her, totally ignoring the pain in his body. She lay motionless. He placed his hand underneath her head and cradled her fragile frame.

"Jessica," he said. He only wanted to say her name. He only wanted her to know that he was still there for her.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into his soft pupils. A small smile formed on her lips. "Hi."

His body trembled with fright. There was nothing he could do to make the situation better. There was nothing that he could do to save them now. The incident when he almost died showed him one thing: he was not invincible. And he could not give his wife everything she deserved.

"I'm sorry."

(William Lawson – The Safe House)

The silver spoon made circles in the white liquid, flakes of cereal floated by like drifting boats before he scooped them up and swallowed them. William filled himself with another bite of Frosted Flakes. Dawn Freeman sat beside him on the couch in the large living room. They were in the Safe House.

The Safe House was littered with mystery, a small sense of ambiguity that left the mind wanting more and yet, still reserved and content with what it already knew. It was called 'safe', but neither one of them could tell if it was safe at all. A hallway filled with empty rooms. An empty living room painted white. The desolate space was enough to make them want to scream. The only person that they had seen was Scott, the man who had brought them food. He did not seem like a threat, but he couldn't be trusted. Not yet.

Will ate another spoonful of cereal and looked at the woman sitting beside him. She, too, was looking at him. He shifted his weight uneasily. "What?"

"Why don't you hate me?" she asked with a manner that was very manner of fact.

"What do you mean?"

"I stole your body for a whole week without your permission, but you don't hate me."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I don't."

"Why? I would hate it if someone did that to me."

He stirred what was left in his bowl with the spoon. Tiny whirlpools in the milk swirled in circles like the thoughts of the man's mind. He did not answer right away. Will contemplated the question itself. He did not hate her for what she had done. But he too did not know why. "I don't know," he finally said. "I did hate you… for a little bit. I guess it's because I can't change the fact that you did what you did. I can't really do anything about it now."

"But… you don't even seem to have a grudge."

"I don't carry grudges."

She nodded her head like she knew what he was talking about and then stared down at her bowl of cereal as well. "Well," she didn't look up. "I'm sorry for what I did. I wouldn't have done it if I knew you were such a nice person."

Will smiled.

She looked up and smiled too.

(Alec Lions – Washington, D.C.)

"Whoa."

Sarah grinned. "A protest. Perfect. We can join the protest and think of a plan of action."

Justin scratched the back of his head. "Maybe I missed something… but I don't see how going to a protest allows us to do anything."

"There are a lot of people in that protest. More people means better cover. Since there's a lot of people there, we can hide amongst them and choose where we want to go next." She turned around and headed in the direction of the large crowd of people.

The three high school students followed behind her.

The protest was large. Men and women were gathered in a large group of peers holding up signs, wearing sandwich boards, and chanting a catchy slogan. The forest of signs bobbed up and down with the rhythm of the protester's chant. They stomped their feet and clapped their hands. The protest had a lot of supporters. And each one of them was loud enough so that the President could hear them in the White House. A few police officers watched the proceedings at a distance, just in case things decided to get out of hand.

Justin walked next to Alec. "What's up, dude? You've haven't said anything in a while."

"Am I supposed to say something?"

"No," he replied. "It's just that you're not usually this quiet."

He sighed and looked down at his feet. "There's nothing to talk about."

Justin glanced at Casey, who was walking ahead of them with Sarah. "You're still beating yourself up about Casey, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

The young man did not reply. He simply continued to walk.

Alec continued to speak though. "I mean, I do love her, dude. I do. But… but it doesn't matter because she doesn't feel the same way anymore."

Justin grinned. "If she didn't love you anymore, she wouldn't still be running away with us. She wouldn't still be here."

Alec removed his gaze to his friend.

He nodded his head. "Believe me. There's still something there."

Their conversation sharply ended when a man from the protest greeted them. "Hello, strangers, are you here to partake in the protest?"

Sarah confidently nodded her head. "Yes."

"Excellent! My name is Mike. People call me Mike 'The Spike'."

"Why?"

"'Cause when I first joined the Army, I weighed one hundred and twenty pounds. The guys called me 'Spike' on account of how skinny I was. But by the end I was two twenty three – all muscle. The name sort of stuck."

Sarah smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, well, my name is…Mia and these are my friends."

Mike's eyebrow went up as he looked at the three high school students. He smiled courteously and drew his attention back to the ex-FBI Agent. "Well, just grab a sign and find a place."

Sarah turned around and, with her head, motioned for them to get involved. Alec grabbed a sign that was on the ground and raised it above his head. Justin stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed behind him. Sarah also picked up a sign and was quickly followed behind by Casey, who did not even bother to look at the pile of protest signs on the ground. They made their way through the crowd of protestors and searched for a place where they could plan their next move with as little disturbances as possible.

(Wayne Rockwell – Unknown)

The rock star sat in his chair at a loss of words. Images and memories of the first five individuals flashed across his mind. He remembered them. He remembered the missions that they executed together. He stared at each person's face. He still didn't know if The Rogue Agent could be trusted, but curiosity got the better of him. "Okay, Scott," he finally said. "Tell me more."

"What do you want to know?"

"Why did James tell me all of those horrible things about you?"

James chuckled. "I had to find a way to get you to Washington, D.C. and I wasn't sure if you would react kindly to the direct approach. Previously we had a bad experience." He glanced at the tall, dark-haired woman.

She put her hands up innocently. "What?"

Wayne nodded his head. "Okay, then why didn't I remember anything about my life as a weapon of the government before James and I got attacked?"

"Oh, that was me," the tall woman interjected. "Since I can manipulate sound, I was the obvious choice to attack you."

"That didn't answer my question."

Scott cleared his throat to gain attention to himself. "Wayne, the government injected you with a needle that wiped your memories from a specific point in time, which was the moment you were abducted. When Kelsey first encountered you, you were injected with a serum that counteracted the government's serum. And just now, I injected another dosage to finish the process. Our 'counter-marker' slowly unlocked the blocked memories of your past, unveiling themselves as dreams or nightmares, or as the memories they are."

"So was it you who attacked me on the train?" Wayne addressed the woman with dark black hair.

"Yes."

He nodded his head. The rock star looked at four of the five people in front of him. Their faces were familiar. With a smile he recited what he remembered about them. He pointed his finger at the woman with long black hair. "Your name is Kelsey Walters and you can manipulate sound." She nodded her head. Going down the line, he pointed at each person. "And you are Connor Franklin, The Invisible Man." Connor nodded his head in recognition. Wayne stopped at the woman standing next to him. He grinned at her. "Hello, Destiny." She bashfully brushed a golden lock from her eyes. He stood up. "It's been a while, I guess, huh?"

She nodded her head. "Do you remember?"

Taking her hand into his, he reassured without words.

* * *

The four individuals stood in a circle with their protest signs bobbing up and down in unison, but none of them were concerned with anything that was happening with the protest. Sarah coolly took a quick perimeter sweep to make sure no one had recognized them or were in earshot. When she determined that their conversation wasn't in jeopardy, she began. "Okay, so where do we go now?"

No one said a word. Alec looked down at his shoes and re-shouldered his backpack. Casey wrapped her coat around her body a little tighter to protect her skin from the cold wind. Justin was the only one who was actually thinking of a reasonable answer to give the woman.

Sarah spat on the ground. "If no one says anything, I'm going to choose what we do next."

"Wait… hold on, I'm still thinking," Justin said, stroking his chin in thought. "Now, the way I see it, we only have a few options. One, we can keep going south, maybe find a good hideout spot somewhere where we can hide out until the heat cools off."

"Until the heat cools off? I don't think something like this ever 'cools off'," Sarah objected.

"Okay, okay, scratch that."

"Well, it's not a bad idea," Casey suddenly said. Everyone looked at her. She shivered in her coat. "But we couldn't stay underground forever."

"Good point."

"Which leads me to our second option. We could turn ourselves in," Justin suggested.

Sarah did not say a word.

Alec shook his head. "I'm not going to prison. If anybody should go to prison, it's Chris… but that's not going to happen." He pulled his hood over his head. "And why would you have to turn yourself in anyway, Justin? Sarah and I are the only ones who did anything against the law. You and Casey could go right now and it wouldn't change a thing for us."

Justin frowned. "But where's the adventure in that?"

Casey looked at Alec for a brief moment. "I don't have anywhere to go anyway. My family hates me, remember?"

Sarah sighed. "We're kind of going off topic. We still don't know what we're going to do."

"Well I suggested everything I could think of. You don't want to turn yourselves in and you don't want to hide underground for a while… I don't know what else to-"

"Wait, let's go back to the hideout one." Sarah said. "It's a start. We could hide out somewhere until we can really get an idea of what to do next."

"Okay," Alec shrugged his shoulders. "But that still leaves us with the question of 'where'."

"Well… I guess we can just keep moving south until we find a suitable place," the ex-FBI Agent suggested.

"That's what I said in the first place!" Justin exclaimed. He looked at each person's face in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? You just decided to do everything that I suggested."

Sarah chuckled at his comical expression. She was about to say something when a finger tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Mike 'The Spike' standing behind her.

"Hello again, Mia. I just wanted to ask if you wanted anything hot to drink. It's getting chilly out here and like my dad always told me: 'when it's cold outside, there's nothing better than a hot cup of cocoa'." In his right hand was a thermos and in his left was a stack of Styrofoam cups.

She nodded her head. "Oh yeah, sure. Thanks, Mike."

He looked at the high school students. "Any of you care for some hot chocolate?"

* * *

"I have one more question, Scott."

The Rogue Agent nodded his head, encouraging the man to proceed.

"I know that you've been spending the last two years building up an organization, and apparently you've been recruiting other 'special' people, like James. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm glad that all of my memories are back. And I'm glad that we're all reunited again, but what were you planning to do to fight against the government? How do you expect us to combat something so… powerful?"

"The world is a horrifying place. The inhabitants of it fight wars, murder their fellow man, and pollute their very environment."

Scott smirked. "I thought you'd never ask. Destiny, if you will."

She pressed a button on a control panel behind her. The lights once again turned off. A low whirring sound from behind caused the rock star to spin around. A section of the wall retracted to reveal a large computer screen. In an exuberant flash of delightful colors, it turned on and the room was illuminated with a bright blue hue. Their shadows flew behind them and flattened themselves against the back wall. Scott took a step forward and pointed at the computer screen.

"Allow me to brief you on our final mission."

"But we have the power to change it. We look at the world around us and we try our best to rectify the faults of our peers. These undeniable events in our lives lead us towards our final destination. We do not know what it is. We do not know what lies in our futures."

All six individuals walked forward as the specifications to their mission spread across the digital screen. All six individuals kept their eyes on the screen, preparing themselves for their last assignment.

"The only thing we can confidently know is a plan. A plan that in the day's beginning, in the next morning, we have something to hope for. And to fight for." – Mohinder Suresh

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	28. Casey Walker: Two

Special thank to my beta E for Emma

(Casey Walker – Washington, D.C. – 1:00 PM)

"Look at that."

They all turned their heads at the large wall of protesters.

Casey sat down on the grass with her hood pulled over her head. Soft flakes of snow sailed and fell upon her sweater, hand, and the green grass beneath her. Twirling specs of white, each one different than the next, hung in the air just long enough for her to appreciate it. Each flowing crystal made the ground colder. Casey was stuck in a daze watching the snowfall. She loved snow. It reminded her of the family that she used to have, the memories that used to be filled with love, the memories that were nothing but the past. But she didn't cry over the lost memories. It warmed her just thinking about it, even though it no longer existed in her life.

In her hand was a Styrofoam cup full of hot chocolate, hot enough to warm the body but not enough to scald the tongue. There wasn't much that came out of her mouth when Mike came and offered something warm to drink. She quietly sipped on her drink and listened to the conversation.

Mike nodded his head with pride. "Look at that," he repeated. "I can only hope that this protest can actually do something. In this day and age, protests don't get much done. But this one has turned out quite well. And it's big…for being the first protest that I actually organized myself."

"It seems to be going well," Sarah chimed in. "Just be careful of anybody suspicious."

Casey stole a glance from Alec and Justin.

"Sometimes the police will send someone into one of these things to start a riot just so they can come in and break it up."

Mike took a sip of his drink. "Thanks for the heads up. I'll make sure to look out for anybody suspicious."

Two young people, a boy and a girl, came up to the older gentlemen and sat down next to him. Casey looked at them from underneath her hood. The first person she saw was the boy. He looked about junior high school age. He was a cute boy for being so young. She pictured him being quite attractive when he grew up. Short tussled brownish hair hung just above his eyes and over his ears. He had a soft complexion and a nose that slightly tilted up at the tip. He also had a childish smile that went across his face, and it made her smile as well.

The girl was noticeably different. With black hair, brown eyes, and a much more tanned skin tone, she stood about a head taller than the boy. But she was pretty for such a young person. Casey guessed that she wasn't much older than the boy and was most likely in the same grade. The girl had one dimple on the left side of her smirk and sparkling eyes.

Mike put his arms around the two children. "These are my son and daughter, Danny and Tara respectively."

"Hi, Danny. Hi Tara," Sarah waved to them.

"Say 'hello', Tara."

The young girl forced a smile and nodded her head. "Hi."

Mike leaned forward and whispered something inaudible to the boy and Danny turned to Sarah with a big smile. He greeted her and she nodded her head politely. He looked up at his father and in a playful fashion, nodded his head in confirmation that he had done a good thing. The smile returned and he continued to listen in on the conversation.

Tara looked at Casey. "Hi," she said before looking at Justin and Alec.

She smirked. "Hi."

"You brought your children to the protest, Mike?" Sarah asked.

"Well, I didn't have anywhere else to bring them. Besides, my father always told me that whenever I get some kids of my own, I need to keep them close. I'm not sure if he meant emotionally or physically, but I'll try my best to do both."

"So how old are they?"

"Tara is fourteen. She'll be going to high school next year. And Danny is eleven."

"Twelve," he butted in.

Mike smiled. "Right. He'll be starting seventh grade."

Sarah looked at the boy and then back to his father. "He looks quite different from you, Mike."

"He was adopted, Mia," he replied. "I first found him in the street when he was just a young fella. Maybe four or five. I don't quite know what happened to his parents. But I brought him to the orphanage and they took care of him for a year or so. I visited him during that time to see how he was doing. He was such a good kid. As the days went by, I grew attached to this little guy." He brought his son closer and playfully messed up the boy's hair. "You see, my wife died giving birth to Tara and I had to take care of her all by myself. It wasn't too hard. I always found ways to balance home life with work and whatnot. But there was something special about Danny. So I took it upon myself to adopt him and raise them both."

Casey looked at the boy. The smile was aimed at her, so she smiled back, prompting the boy to quickly look away.

"They're good kids. They get along extremely well."

Sarah took another sip of her hot chocolate.

Casey drifted out of the conversation that the two held. Her attention drew itself elsewhere. She looked down at the snow-covered grass. She stared intently at the white blanket, as if searching for something. She didn't know what, but she continued to stare and concentrate. It was then that she realized that she could control various stages of water, whether liquid or solid. It wasn't strong, but she could feel the connection. The snow slowly moved back and forth, obeying her mental command. But it scared her. She still feared her power. Her gift.

"Are you okay?"

Casey looked up. Tara was standing in front of her, hands in pockets, head tilted in a questionable fashion. The High School Junior nodded her head. "I'm fine."

"It looked like you were… scared or something."

"I'm fine."

The girl shrugged her shoulders switching the tone of the conversation. Quickly she said very casually, "Well, I was going to ask if you were going out with that cute guy over there."

"Who?"

"The one over there," Tara pointed her finger at Alec.

A small smirk swept across her face. "No, I'm not going out with him. Would you like to?"

Tara blushed and looked down at her feet.

"Well, I wouldn't if I were you, he's a senior in high school," she said, raising her voice so that he could hear her. "And he's a jerk!"

Alec looked at her for a split second before turning away.

Casey sighed. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted saying them. She wasn't really mad at him anymore. In her mind, he was still the thoughtless jerk that had lied to her, but she couldn't stay mad at him. Over the few days that she had spent thinking and contemplating over her anger, she found that her argument _was_ absurd. There was no more reason to stay mad at him anymore. She realized that she _was_ being an immature girl, even as much as he was being an immature boy. It was just that they hadn't spoken for a long time already, and she was so mean to him, that it was awkward to even see him look at her. Casey was positive that he didn't want to talk to her because she hadn't wanted to talk to him.

But she wasn't mad at him anymore.

Tara coolly readjusted her sweater before putting her hands into her pockets. "I'm guessing there's a story behind that little outburst."

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that."

"No, don't be." Tara grinned. "I like drama."

Casey chuckled and looked at him one last time. She was not mad at him. She had to tell him that she was not mad at him. With a word of parting to the young girl, Casey stood up and slowly made her way across the white-coated ground towards the High School Senior. With each step she took, she thought about what she was about to do. In her mind, she knew what she wanted to say. But she feared his reaction. What would _he _say? How would _he_ react?

She reached over, ready to get his attention. Hesitantly, she held her hand above his shoulder, grasping every second to mentally outline what she had to say and what she wanted to tell him. The palm of her hand shook. Her fingers shivered. With a deep breath, she tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around.

"Hi."

"Casey," he stuttered a little surprised. "What are – I mean, why… um, hi?"

"Alec… I want to talk to you."

He looked shocked. Nervously he rubbed the back of his head and stood up. "Um, now?"

"Yeah." She looked at Justin. "Maybe somewhere else, though."

Alec nodded his head and followed her. They came to a spot where they could talk privately. A few protestors were hanging out near them, but Casey was sure that they weren't interested in what she had to say. They stood facing each other without saying a word. He looked around, waiting for her to speak first.

"How- how are you doing, Alec?"

"Fine."

"That's good."

There was another break in conversation. She looked down at her shoes, silently cursing herself for starting out the way she did. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and nodded his head at particularly nothing.

"I thought you weren't talking to me anymore," he stated into the air.

"I never said that I wasn't going to talk to you."

"Well… you never talked to me before now."

"I know."

"Is this about… you know, what happened before?"

She nodded her head.

"Do you… are you still mad at me?"

She hesitated. On the tip of her tongue was a definite answer, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. But she had to say something. She opened her mouth to reply when someone began yelling from the front of the protest. Turning her head in the direction, she noticed that a small group of protestors were beginning to argue quite loudly.

Alec stepped up beside her. "What is that all about?"

She did not respond, nor could she. One of the protestors swung a punch. The man who was punched got up and punched back. From there the protestor got his friends to help him beat up the man, who in turn got his friends to combat the protestor's friends. Soon, everyone was involved and a riot started.

From one act of violence, the entire assembly turned into one giant rumble. Signs were dropped and fists were raised. Everyone took one look at the person beside them and decided to hit them. Chaos erupted so quickly that no one had a second to think before they were trying to protect themselves from another attack. No one particularly knew why they were fighting after the third or fourth strike, but people flung their fists at one another and others cowered in fear. The snow below them became stained blood red. The protestors quickly became rioters and like vicious animals, they attacked each other. The innocent confusion of the battle became nothing more than pandemonium.

Alec quickly evaded a punch and pushed the attacker away.

Casey tried to stay away from everyone and everybody. If someone came too close, she moved to another spot, away from the violence. But she couldn't escape it. It was everywhere. A little voice in her head told her body to protect itself, to use her ability to stay alive. But she ignored the little voice. She did not want to use it. She feared it and feared what would happen if she used it.

Gunshots suddenly rang out. As quickly as the riot started, it ended. Police officers moved in, nightsticks at hand, and broke it up. Brutally, they pummeled anyone who was there. Some tried to fight back, but it didn't work. A swift club to the face ended any uprising. Most of the rioters tried to flee the scene.

Casey screamed as a man in front of her fell on the ground, sporting a broken nose. The officer who struck him turned his attention to her. He raised his weapon to attack, but he stopped with the stick above his head. With a hurt and confused expression on his face, he fell upon his knees. His face fell onto the snow and he closed his eyes. Alec stood behind him with a stolen nightstick in hand.

Casey smiled at him.

Alec smiled back.

He had just saved her. She opened her mouth to thank him, but the young man suddenly began to jerk violently back and forth.

His face scrunched in pain and he fell upon the ground, little wires protruding from his back.

A police officer with a taser gun stood behind him.

Casey screamed in terror.

"Get out of here!" Alec yelled out between screams of complete agony.

"Casey!"

She turned her head as Justin ran up beside her.

"Casey, we gotta leave now! C'mon!"

She turned back to Alec.

"Run!" he screamed again.

She bent down to help him.

He grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes. "Run!"

Justin took her arm and together they fled the scene.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	29. Sarah White: Two

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma

(Sarah White – Washington, D.C. – 1:00 PM)

"Look at that."

They all turned their heads at the large wall of protesters.

Sarah sat down on the grass, her sweater zipped all the way up with her dark blazer keeping in the warmth of her body. Soft flakes of snow danced in the wind and fell upon her exposed head, hand, and the green grass beneath her. The twirling specks of white, each one different than the next, hung in the air just long enough for her to appreciate them. Each flowing crystal made the ground colder. Sarah held a Styrofoam cup full of hot chocolate, hot enough to warm the body but not enough to scald the tongue. She smiled and looked at the protest with interest, but she kept her façade up.

Mike nodded his head with pride. "Look at that," he repeated. "I can only hope that this protest can actually do something. In this day and age, protests don't get much done. But this one has turned out quite well. And big… for being the first protest that I actually organized myself."

"It seems to be going well," Sarah chimed in. "Just be careful for anybody suspicious. Sometimes the police will send someone into one of these things to start a riot just so they can come in and break it up."

Mike took a sip of his drink. "Thanks for the heads up. I'll make sure to look out for anybody suspicious."

Two young people, a boy and a girl, came up to the older gentleman and sat down next to him. Sarah politely stood up as they came by, but Mike happily shook his head telling her that she could remain seated. The shorter of the two children was the boy. He sat on the man's left and kept his hands inside of his own jacket pockets. Short tussled brownish hair hung just above his eyes and over his ears. He had a soft complexion, a nose that slightly tilted up at the tip, and a childish smile across his face that made her smile as well.

The girl was noticeably different. With black hair, brown eyes, and a much more tanned skin tone, she stood about a head taller than the boy. But she could tell that the girl was older than the boy. Sarah guessed that she was probably high school age. The girl had one dimple on the left side of her smirk and sparkling eyes.

Mike put his arms around the two children. "This is my son and daughter, Danny and Tara respectively."

"Hi, Danny. Hi Tara," Sarah waved to them.

"Say 'hello', Tara."

The young girl forced a smile and nodded her head. "Hi."

Mike leaned forward and whispered something inaudible to the boy. Danny turned to Sarah with a big smile. He greeted her and she nodded her head politely. He looked up at his father and nodded his head in confirmation that he had done a good thing. He then smiled and continued to listen in on the conversation.

Tara turned to Casey and said, "Hi."

She smiled back. "Hi."

"You brought your children to the protest, Mike?" Sarah asked.

"Well, I didn't have anywhere else to bring them. And getting a babysitter was out of the question. I never liked some kid watching my own, you know? Besides, my father always told me that whenever I get some kids of my own, I should keep them close. I'm not sure if he meant emotionally or physically, but I'll try my best to do both."

Sarah raised her knee and rested her forearm on top. She casually brushed her hair out of her face. "So, how old are they?"

Mike looked at the girl. "Tara is fourteen. She'll be going to high school next year." He patted the boy on the back. "And Danny is eleven."

"Twelve," he butted in.

Mike smiled. "Right. He'll be starting seventh grade."

Sarah looked at the boy and then back to his father. In a very inquisitive manner, she tilted her head and examined his son. He noticed that she was looking at him and tried to look somewhere else. Sarah quickly turned her attention back to his father. "He looks quite different from you, Mike."

"He was adopted, Mia," he replied. "I first found him on the street when he was just a young fella, maybe four or five. I don't quite know what happened to his parents. But I brought him to the orphanage and they took care of him for a year or so. I visited him during that time to see how he was doing. He was such a good kid. As the days went by, I grew attached to this little guy." He brought his son closer and playfully messed up the boy's hair. "You see, my wife died giving birth to Tara here and I had to take care of her all by myself. It wasn't too hard. I always found ways to balance home life with work and whatnot. But there was something special about Danny. I always knew that he was something special. So I took it upon myself to adopt him and raise them both."

"That's nice."

"They're good kids. He and Tara get along extremely well."

Sarah took another sip of her hot chocolate.

"They always look out for each other, you know? I love that about them." He watched as Tara got up and made her way to Casey. The father nodded his head as if he was appreciating them for the first time. With another pat on his son's back he laughed. "Although they do fight sometimes. Isn't that right, Danny."

The boy smiled mischievously. "Yeah. All the time."

"Not all the time."

"All the time." He looked at the ex-FBI Agent and nodded his head to reinforce his point.

Sarah smirked. "So, Danny, what's it like being here with your dad on this exciting protest?"

He looked at his father and then back to Sarah. The boy scrunched up his face, pondering over whether or not he should tell the woman what she wanted to hear. After another quick glance at Mike he leaned over and whispered, "To tell you the truth, it's kind of boring."

She laughed. Movement to the left caused her to turn her head. Casey and Alec were going off somewhere. She sat on the ground and watched them leave. A small smile crept into the corners of her mouth.

She did not know Casey too well. She didn't know Alec very well, either. But from the evening that she had decided not to arrest Alec, Sarah found two very different people. Without former knowledge of their relationship beforehand, there was no telling how badly their fight affected them, but she could not understand how something like telling another about their gift could force them to hate each other. She did not get involved, though, and she was glad that she didn't. Seeing them leave together gave her hope that they would be okay.

Sarah was the one who was the newcomer. Alec, Justin and Casey were traveling before she had joined them. She left her job, her home, and anything that she could have had to be with total strangers who were like her. But they were like her. People with special abilities. There was a sense of obligation to stick with her kind now—a generation with extraordinary powers that, if exposed, could be disastrous. Sarah felt that since she was the oldest, she had to be the role model for the rest of them. She had to protect them from whatever came their way.

"Mia?"

She turned and faced Mike. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I'm going to get more hot chocolate, would you mind watching my kids for me?"

"Uh, sure."

Mike got up and walked off. Danny remained sitting, twiddling his fingers in boredom. Sarah looked around. Justin was talking to Tara about something. Casey was talking to Alec about something else. She made a mental note that they needed to leave Washington, D.C. soon.

In the wake of the silence that had enveloped her mind, Sarah looked at Justin again and decided to reflect on how much she actually appreciated him. He was strange and yet, he was a wonderful person. He had stated to her that he came along with Alec because it was an 'adventure'. In her experience, rarely did anybody do anything if there was no profit. He seemed like a genuine individual. He had no powers but he didn't show the kind of prejudice that she would have expected from a 'normal' person.

It changed how she felt about her gift.

Could people understand and even accept their kind? Could she tell someone else about her abilities without the fear of a violent reaction? She knew all too well that humans were afraid of what they didn't understand. But she was human. Why wouldn't people accept her? Sarah was different. And she was proud of that fact.

Two people behind her began to yell at each other and it brought her out of her mind and back into the protest. She turned her head as a man came crashing down on top of her.

"Holy crap!" Danny yelled as he jumped to his feet.

The man that fell on top of her got up and brushed his shirt off. "What the hell, man!"

The other man walked forward, fist ready for action.

Sarah quickly got up and became a barrier between the two people. "Hey, hey, calm down," she said. "What's the deal?"

One by one, the once small group of spectators turned into a gigantic sea of people, eagerly anticipating the imminent violence ahead of them. Each one kept an eye on the three individuals. Justin and Tara appeared from the thick of the crowd with Danny, watching as Sarah tried her best to diffuse already lit fuse.

"I was standing there, protestin' like the rest," he said, "when this jerk came by and pushed me out of the way, real violent like. So I pushed him back and-"

The other man tried to push Sarah out of the way to get to his opponent but she increased her density and held him where he was. "I saw him pull out a weapon! He was gonna start some trouble."

He reached out and punched the other man directly in his jaw. The victim fell backwards and dropped to the floor. Blood formed between his bottom lip and chin. He remained on the floor holding his head in an attempt to clear his senses.

Sarah grabbed the attacker and expertly twisted him into submission, making sure he could not do any more damage.

The other, who had fallen, got back up and delivered a sucker punch to the man between the ex-FBI Agent's hands.

As soon as he was hit, a friend of his came out of the crowd and attacked the one who had hit the person being held by Sarah.

She quickly increased her density and hit the person who was closest, which happened to be the friend of the person who threw the first punch.

A large explosion rose into the air. Someone had thrown the weapon that had started the entire conflict.

From one act of violence, the entire assembly turned into one giant rumble. Signs were dropped and fists were raised. Everyone took one look at the person beside them and decided to hit them. Chaos erupted so quickly that no one had a second to think before they were trying to protect themselves from another attack. No one particularly knew why they were fighting after the third or fourth strike. People flung their fists at one another and others cowered in fear. The snow below them became stained with blood. The protesters quickly became rioters. And like vicious animals, they attacked each other and the innocent confusion of the battle became nothing more than pandemonium.

Sarah pushed a person out of her way. Her eyes scanned the yelling and the punching for Justin and any sign of Mike or his children. From the corner of her eye, she saw the young man fending off an enraged protester with a broken sign. Behind him were the children.

"Justin!" she yelled, trying to get his attention.

He swung his makeshift weapon and it broke across the man's face.

Danny whooped into the air. "Now _this_ isn't boring!" He rushed to the fallen brute and began to kick him.

"Danny!" his sister called after him. "Get back here before something bad happens."

Sarah pushed and shoved her way to their position just in time to block an advance from a very burly rioter. With increased density and strength, she flung him into the air and onto an unsuspecting person. She turned to Justin. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"How are the kids?"

He looked at Danny who was still kicking the unconscious man.

"They look like they're doing all right."

Quickly, she ushered them to an area that wasn't rampant with violent rioters. Gunshots suddenly rang out into the air. As quickly as the riot started, it ended. Police officers moved in, riot sticks at hand and tear gas ready, and broke it up. They brutally pummeled anyone who was there. Some tried to fight back, but it didn't work. A swift club to the face ended any uprising. Most of the rioters tried to flee the scene.

Sarah turned around and flipped the hood of her sweater over her head. She grabbed Justin's arm and commanded, "Find Casey and Alec! We have to get out of here before any of the police officers recognize us."

He nodded his head and ran off against the current of the fleeing rioters.

The ex-FBI Agent sighed. People all around her were running away. They pushed and shoved, whatever they could do to stay alive, every man for himself. She took hold of the children and kept them close. "Do you see your dad?" Her voice was quivering and she didn't know why.

They did not respond. They were looking for him as well.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. "Mia!"

"Mike! Thank God you're okay. I was beginning to think I'd have to adopt these kids."

He chuckled. "My dad taught me how to defend myself and always said-"

"Save it, Mike," Sarah interrupted. "I need to get my friends out of here."

He cradled his children, but still looked at the faces of the fleeing people. "Where are they?"

"Justin just left to find Casey and Alec. But when he gets back we need to get out of here."

"Do you have a place?"

"What?"

"Come with me."

"No, Mike, there's no time-"

"You protected my children. The least I can to is give you a place to hang out until the heat from the riot has cooled off."

She glanced out from under her hood into the slowly dissipating crowd. There were still police officers somewhere in the cloud of tear gas and falling snow. She didn't have a place to go. "Okay," she said after a quick thought. "But we have to leave as soon as Justin comes back."

"Sarah!"

Two people ran towards them. Justin and Casey, but not Alec.

"Where's Alec?"

Casey shook her head. She shook. It wasn't because the snow was making her cold. "He told us to run so we did - I didn't want to but – there were police everywhere - Justin came and… Alec told us to run."

Sarah turned to Mike. "Let's go."

He, with his children, left the scene followed by Sarah, Justin and Casey. Sarah took a few steps before facing the destruction. Cries of brutality. Whistles of authority. Disaster rang into the white mist of falling snow. The once beautiful scenery was marred by stained blood, arrested bodies, and chaos. She whispered the name of the man lost before following after the rest of the group to refuge.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	30. Wayne Rockwell: Two

(Wayne Rockwell – The Safe House – 10:00 PM)

"Look at that."

"What?"

Wayne was looking at a smaller monitor in the wall. Tiny flashes of light bounced off of his body and cast his shadow on the opposite wall, making it move about as an erratic pulse on its surface. On the screen was the news, reporting on the most recent events. Destiny came up from behind and joined him in watching. "There's been a riot in Washington, D.C. this afternoon," he replied. "It got pretty violent."

They watched the screen as the reporter relayed the events. Each one more horrifying than the last. A protest gone wrong and many were wounded in the process. No whereabouts as to where the organizer was. The capture of Alec Lions, the infamous runaway from New York City. Wayne looked at the picture that was on the display. The boy looked faintly familiar. But his thoughts on the matter quickly turned aside as the monitor turned off.

"Why are you even watching that stuff?" Destiny asked. Her finger left the control pad in the wall and the monitor disappeared behind a retracting door. "You should be thinking about what you're about to do."

"I know. I know," he said, nodding his head and slowly backing away. "I just… it's different, you know?"

She shook her head. "No, not really."

"The entire life that I had as a rock star is gone. And it's not that I can never be the lead singer to Logan again. No, it's worse: it's obsolete. It doesn't matter if I was a lead singer to a famous band anymore. I had a different life before that. I was a different person… it's a lot to take in."

The woman silently took in his concerns. She slipped her hand into his, slowly leading him to his chair. "Okay," she laughed. "Now I know what you mean."

"You do?"

"Yeah."

"I remember everything, Destiny. You and me. Everyone else. Our missions."

"But that's a good thing, right?"

"Oh, it's a good thing, don't get me wrong," Wayne said stopping at his chair. She sat down in it with a beckon from his hand and he took a seat on top of the steel table, resting his elbows on his thighs. "But… okay, you asked me why I wasn't preparing for the attack and I said because it was different."

"Yeah."

"Well, I meant to say that I don't think I'm ready for the mission."

"What do you mean?"

"I remember the training, I remember the other missions, I remember the feeling of success… but I also remember my band. I remember singing my first gig and the rush of absolute excitement every time the audience sang along or cheered my name or cried for an encore. I remember my life as a Weapon of the Government _and _my life as the headliner of Logan. I- I can remember the missions. Taking down guards, assassinating terrorists… I just can't believe that I could be a guy who can kill."

He looked down at his hands and concentrated. Two orbs of incandescence formed in-between his palms. They jumped and danced with a wriggle of a finger or just a thought. A small smile crept into his bottom lip, searching for the rest of his face. It reminded him that the appeal of duty was strong. Every assignment that was given to them when they were working for the government was for a good cause. They were protecting their country. But the government was using them without their permission. Brainwashing them without them knowing it. And the light disappeared.

He closed his hand and looked the woman beside him. The girl that he loved in another life. The girl that loved him in another life.

"I know what you mean, Wayne," she said.

The rock star looked at her shiny eyes.

She nodded her head solemnly. "I was just a florist. I picked flowers and sold them to guys on Valentine's Day and to wedding planners. A simple person who lived alone in a modest apartment. I don't think I once had a complaint from a customer. And when I found out that my life was taken from me from the government, that they used me like they did, I acted just like you." She took his hand and looked into his eyes. "Wayne, I know that you understand what we're trying to accomplish here. And I understand why you feel like your other life as a rock star is you, but it isn't. We had something. You and I. It was special. That was the real you. A strong, confident man you would do anything for the right cause. _This_ is the right cause, Wayne. I know you're ready for it."

She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. He closed his eyes and kissed back. There was one thing that he was happy about remembering: Destiny.

"Get a room."

Their lips left from their passionate lock. Wayne smirked as Kelsey walked by and out the door. Her feet made a soft tapping noise on the cold steel. He turned back to Destiny and smiled. "That's not a bad idea."

Playfully she punched him in the arm and laughed.

"Are you ready?" Scott appeared suddenly.

Wayne looked at Destiny. She beamed brilliantly like a morning star. He turned towards The Rogue Agent. "Yes."

"Good," he said confidently nodding his head. As he left the room he called out, "Your talents will be needed so you'd better be!"

"Don't worry. I know what's at stake."

"You do remember how to use your powers, right?"

"Are you kidding me?" he scoffed. "Of course."

"Kelsey told me that while she fought you on the train you hid behind some chairs and-"

"Hey," he butted in. "That was before all of my memories came back. I remember how to use my power now."

"So you remember everything from training."

"Yes."

"Just making sure. Everything has to go perfect."

"What happened to 'I know you can do it, Wayne'?"

A smirk formed on her face. "Just making sure."

Wayne chuckled and leaned back on his palms.

She stood up and kissed him one more time. "Well, I gotta go get ready. We leave in an hour." And with that he left the room, closing the door behind her.

Wayne remained in the dark room. The bright blue of the large monitor was the only source of light in the darkness of the room. Shadow cast on the walls opposite, and Wayne stood in the middle. Tightly rapping his foot on the floor and absorbing the sound waves. With his eyes closed, he pointed his right finger to the right wall. He took a deep breath. A small spark of light emanated from his fingertips and shot against the steel. He concentrated. The light condensed and began to burn away the metal. Wayne opened his eyes and inspected the damage. He smiled.

"Quite a gift you got there, Wayne," said a voice in the darkness.

He turned around. James was leaning against the table, the light of the monitor barely touching the darkness of his suit. Darkness seemed to gravitate towards his fingers, creeping up his arm and enveloping his entire body. A little hint of luminosity stretched across his face showing the small, innocent smile in the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks, James," Wayne replied. "It's kind of weird that I remember how to do everything now…"

"Are you ready for the mission?"

"Yes," his response was almost immediate. "Are you worried?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Good."

"Just be careful. The real Silence may be without people like us, but they are still just as dangerous as they used to be."

"Thanks for the tip."

Wayne walked passed the teleporting man and to the door. He opened the door and just before stepping into the hallway, he turned back. James continued to lean against the table. He was contained. Positive. Assured that all was well, the rock star closed the door and prepared for the night to come.

* * *

The moon hung in the black sky, surrounded by sparkling white dots. A white elegance surrounded the bright sphere and it shone like a lamp in a darkened forest. But it was not full. A dark shadow had fallen across its surface, leaving it in a constant state of darkness. In the middle of a large structure, in front of a large body of water, sat the Washington Monument, elegantly standing erect as a national monument, the immense tribute to the first president of the United States.

Moving across the floor were six individuals, hidden in a blanket of invisibility, covertly making their way to their desired position. The moon watched over them. At first in a line, they moved quickly through the grounds, splitting up after coming to the first checkpoint. Destiny, the perfect Watchman, or woman, hung back a few feet to make sure everything and everyone was in place. She closed her eyes and a mental map of everything within a five-mile radius enveloped her vision. She could 'see' exactly where all of her teammates were located.

"Torch," she said into the communicating device attached to her ear, making a mental note to remember the code names Scott had given them. " A meter directly to your left is a security camera-"

Wayne groaned. "I hate my code name. It has nothing to do with my power."

"Confirm that you are in position."

"How about Lazer? With a 'z'."

"Just shoot the damn camera."

The rock star looked in the specified direction and pointed his finger. A pinpoint laser beam shot out of the tip and destroyed the oscillating machine. He tapped his com-device once and said, "Camera One is out."

"Roger that. Sonic you have the camera to your right."

"Camera Two is out."

"Blackout, the final security cam is at the entrance."

"Camera Three is out," replied Scott.

"Okay, people, we are moving into Phase Two. Send in The Invisible Man."

Connor Franklin adjusted the goggles over his eyes and confidently strode towards the immense structure. He continued to keep his teammates hidden in concealment. Invisible to the human eye. The Washington Monument approached quickly and The Invisible Man got into position. He reached out and touched the cold and rigid surface, dragging his fingers down the exterior of it and to the foot of the base. He softly tapped the ground twice allowing echoes of the hollowed ground underneath to bounce back towards him.

"I'm in position," he said into his com-device.

"Everybody move in."

Destiny and the invisible teammates around her moved to Connor's position. As they moved, he marked where the hidden door was in the ground. Destiny took a deep breath and kneeled down. "Sonic, turn off the sound and open that door."

"This is the fun part," grinned Connor.

Kelsey stood above the hidden entrance, hands outstretched in front of her body, concentrating on the sound waves around them. Each wave condensed into a concentrated wave of destruction, blowing out the door. As soon as she released the pulsating blast, she put the world on mute. The door blew open, but in complete silence.

So far, their plan was picture perfect. Everything going as expected.

Connor turned off his invisibility and everyone else's. One by one, they went down into the dark hole at the base of the Washington Monument. As soon as the last person got inside, Destiny signaled Kelsey to turn the sound back on.

"What do you see, Destiny?" Scott asked.

"I'm seeing three guards in the next hall," she replied.

Scott nodded his head. He pointed to James. "Take them out."

He obediently saluted and disappeared.

Three men softly grunted. Three men fell to the ground.

James returned. "Done."

"Have you located the room yet?"

Destiny nodded her head. "Yes. It's towards the end of this hallway."

"Good work, people. We're almost done."

The six individuals confidently strode into the slick and cool corridor, pass the fallen guards, and forward to their destination. Six individuals. With one goal in their minds: to take down Silence forever. To make sure that the government never abused the gifts of others like them. They wanted to make sure that no one had to go through the pain and struggle that they experienced. It was a noble cause to fight for. And they were moving closer and closer towards the sweet taste of success.

Wayne took a glance around. Simple blips and beeps from hard working machinery and computers echoed eerily to his ears. A strange air had slowly crept up behind the group. He cautiously kept his eyes moving, roving back and forth like a beast reduced to the hunted.

"This is too easy," he said just above a whisper.

Destiny grabbed his hand. "What's wrong?"

"This is going too perfectly."

A large metal wall erected itself, suddenly blocking their path.

Scott fell to the floor. "James!"

Another wall slid down from the ceiling.

They were trapped. And Scott was on the other side.

Wayne quickly assessed the situation and turned to the rest of the team. "Kelsey, find us a way out of here."

"Roger that."

"James, teleport to the other side and get Scott."

He nodded his head and disappeared.

"Destiny!"

"Yeah?"

"What can you see?"

She closed her eyes. "Nothing. Something is blocking-"

"Kelsey! Why isn't that door down yet?!"

Wayne turned around. Kelsey and Connor were on the floor, unconscious and unmoving. He rushed to Connor's side and checked his pulse. "He's still alive. Destiny, can you see anything yet?"

She didn't respond.

He faced her, but she was knocked out.

A gas had seeped through secret vents in the walls rendering each person in a state of comatose.

Wayne tried to fight it.

But it was too late.

He collapsed on the floor.

And passed out.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	31. David Donner: Two

(David Donner – Unknown – 10:00 PM)

"Look at that."

"What? What is it?"

"Do you see it?"

"No," she said. "Show me what you're looking at."

He held out his hand, pointing at the magnificent sunset. "I'm watching the sun go down, Jess," he laughed.

"Oh. Well you made such a big deal about it, I thought you were looking at something else."

He held her close and kissed her head. "I know. I was just kidding." He loved joking with her. He loved being with her. He loved her.

A small chuckle escaped her lips before she rested her body against his.

The sunset was beautiful. Perfection. God's creation at its best. A spectacular display of exuberant reds and vibrant oranges intertwined with sullen pinks and dying purples, dancing together above the bright star descending below the mountains, collectively painted a picture of serenity by the hands of a masterful artist. A hint of a cerulean blue slipped betwixt the darkening clouds and the blackening sky as the rest of the day slowly faded back, allowing night to take its place.

In the soft nirvana of the moment David held onto his wife. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing could be better. She was happy. He was happy. They were together and enjoying life. There was nothing more that any of them could ask for. There was nothing that was bothering their minds.

But the sky turned black, and the night became desolate.

Alone.

David looked down to find that his wife was no longer in his arms. A small pile of ash lay beside him, scattering away into the wind and lost forever. He yelled in terror, afraid to be alone, afraid that he would never see his beloved wife again.

David opened his eyes.

He was in the same mysterious white room he had awoken to a few hours before. Jessica was silently snoring, lost in slumber, unaware of his fears. Repositioning himself against the wall he was leaning on, he delicately wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I'll never leave you," he whispered.

As he held onto her sleeping body, David had time to think, to ponder, to wonder about all that he went through and all that his wife had to endure. He looked around. He was trapped in a mysterious room, an unknown box that could only bring pain. He sat on the floor. All he could do was wait. For what? He didn't know. There was no way to telling. There was no way of telling if they were going to survive or if there was a way of escape. And his mind dwelled on the negative. On the things that he knew were going wrong in his life.

The bullet indentations were a constant reminder of his failure.

He beat himself up because he allowed his wife to even experience pain.

David thought that he was invincible. He thought that he couldn't get hurt. And he thought that since he couldn't get hurt, anyone that he wanted to protect would be safe. But he was wrong. He wasn't invincible. And his wife could have died as well. The near death experience changed his outlook. How could he protect the one person he cared about when he couldn't even guarantee his own safety?

Gently he placed her body back onto the floor. With much frustration, he got up and began to pace back and forth, replaying the events of the day over and over again in his mind. Every time he did so, every time he saw the tears on her face, the pain from the bullet, and the devilish grin, he punched the wall. A low, yet powerful boom echoed through the architecture, vibrating through his arms, telling him to stop. But angrily, he smashed his strong and virtually impervious fists into the impenetrable steel obstruction before him, accomplishing only a small dent, and yelled to alleviate his agonizing cry of defeat.

"What are you doing?"

He turned around. She had woken up.

"What are you doing?" she asked again, a little annoyed.

"What's it look like?" he shot back. He was still angry.

"Why are you punching the wall?"

He clenched his fist. The memories flooded back. He did not respond.

"Look at that little dent. You can barely scratch the surface! What are you trying to do?"

"You don't think I can break out of here?!"

"Well apparently you can't," Jess said, a little hint of a joke.

"How can you just –"

"Why are you yelling?"

"Damn it, Jessica!" he yelled as he smashed his fist into the wall again.

"Why are you yelling at me?!"

He stopped and took a deep breath.

"David," she said softly, letting her words convey a sense of security. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head, voice trembling out of his lips. "N-no. I'm not okay."

"What's wrong?"

He was hesitant. "Jessica, you realized that I almost died…"

"Yes I-"

"Jessica! I almost died!"

"I know, David! You think I don't know that?! I watched you take every single bullet that jerk put into your chest! I watched you die! _I watched you die_!" Jessica stared down at him. She was trembling as well, but quickly she composed herself.

He punched the wall again. "I – I can't believe that I allowed something like that to happen… I just – I'm better than that."

"David, you're looking at this all wrong. You're alive. You can't change anything now, just learn from it-"

"No, Jess, you're not listening to me."

"Then tell me. I'm listening."

"I'm supposed to protect you."

She walked closer. "I don't understand."

"I'm the one who's the protector. I'm supposed to protect you from anything that could ever happen to you. When we first got married, I understood that and I wasn't going to let any harm come to you. Back when I thought I was just an average ordinary person, I did that to the best of my ability." He tried to calm his breathing and lower his temper. "But then I found out that I had these amazing abilities. I was invincible. I was strong. I had a way of guaranteeing that nothing could happen to you. And then…"

"You almost died," she said, finishing his sentence.

He nodded his head.

David gave a sigh of relief and collapsed on the floor. He sat on the ground with his back against the wall. The emotions that he let out were still traveling in the atmosphere, gathering around his wife's head, collecting into her thoughts and traveling onto her tongue. He looked up at her. Jessica was choosing the words she wanted to say carefully. She stood at his feet, silently letting him know that she understood why he was so angry. Why he was so frustrated.

Slowly kneeling onto one knee, she took his hands into hers. "David."

He continued to look at their interlocked fingers.

"David, please look at me."

Their eyes met.

"David, I know that you feel like you have to protect me all the time."

"That's what I-"

She shushed him with a gentle finger to his lips. "Listen to me, David. You don't have to protect me all of the time. I have abilities too. And I can use them whenever I need to."

"But-"

"David, listen to me. You shouldn't be thinking about how much you've failed me…"

"How can I not think about how much I let you down?"

"You – you should be happy that you're alive… I am." Slow droplets rolled down her delicate face, traveling down to their hands. "I'm just glad that you're still here. I don't know what I'd do without you."

David leaned forward and took her into his arms. They embraced each quiet of the white room became still and the only sounds were the soft tears of the two. Between a sniffle, he smiled. "I won't let that happen again."

"You'd better not," she chuckled between a wiped tear.

"I'm sorry I yelled," he said, hugging her tighter. "But I won't let that happen again."

In a moment of complete serenity, at one moment in time, they looked into each other's eyes and saw what the other had to offer. David looked at his wife and saw the radiance of her beauty, the softness of her complexion, and the love of her heart. Her smile told him that, for the time being, there was nothing to fear. He was glad that he expressed to her what was boiling up inside of him. She always knew how to calm him down.

Suddenly, the door opened, and the head and shoulders of a woman came through.

"Hey, this is where the noise was coming from. I should've known," she said, snapping her fingers in a comical display of annoyance. "Bob the Robot wrote this chapter in advance... silly me"

David quickly stood up. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dawn. What's your name?"

He looked down at Jessica for reassurance. He turned towards the stranger. "My name is David. And this is my wife."

Dawn opened the door all the way and stepped inside. She was followed by a tall, well-built man. "Hi, David. This is Will."

The man politely nodded his head in greeting.

There were four people in the strange white room. David kept close to his wife, keeping an eye on both strangers, sizing them up. Making sure that if anything should happen, he could at least defend himself. There was a strange sensation running throughout his body. He could feel himself being healed. Looking down at his wife, David smiled. She smiled back.

"Aren't these rooms weird?" Dawn said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Uh, sure," he replied.

"Well, I guess I should welcome you to The Safe House."

"What's that?"

"That's this place. You're in the Safe House right now."

Neither Jessica nor David responded.

Dawn sighed. "Follow me and I'll show you around."

She left the room closely followed by the other man. Jessica stood up and began to go out the door when David grabbed her arm. "Be careful."

She nodded her head. "Don't worry."

Dawn poked her head inside again. "Are you coming or what?"

There was a hallway that went to the left and to the right. To the left there were more doors similar to theirs and the path ended at a wall, each door identical to its adjacents. But to the right, there was a large room that looked very much like a living room. White paint swept across every wall. There was furniture that connected with a kitchen complete with tile, a refrigerator and a stove.

Jessica silently gasped. "Wow."

"What is this place?" David couldn't help but ask.

Dawn shrugged. "The Safe House."

"How long have you been here?"

"How long have we been here, Will?"

"I'd say about two days."

"Yeah," she agreed. "We were in a room like the one that you two were in until we decided that we didn't like it anymore."

"Do you live here?"

"No… well, I guess we do now."

David sat down on the couch, completely engulfed in the information. Jessica joined him.

"Dawn, right?" he pointed his finger at the woman.

"That's me."

"And you're Will."

"Yeah."

"You look familiar," David stated.

Dawn smiled. "Oh yeah! I was wondering why you looked familiar too. I was possessing Will a few days back and we met on the train… but I was in his body."

"Um… okay," he held in a chuckle and tried not to act shocked.

As he did so, the lights turned off, trapping the four individuals in complete darkness. A low hum, like a coursing electrical current, buzzed above their heads, crisscrossing with the wires in the ceiling light bulbs, fluctuating on and off until suddenly, the lights turned back on, as if nothing had happened.

"Is everyone okay?" David asked.

Nobody answered. They were looking at a new individual who had entered into the Safe House. A man had appeared during the blackout, unexpectedly, like the electrical short out before him. His body was bloody and bruised. Without a word or a sound, the stranger fell upon his knees, too weak to support his own weight.

Dawn rushed over to his body. "Scott?! Scott!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	32. Scott Martin

(Scott Martin – The Safe House – 10:00 PM)

"Look at that."

"What?"

Wayne was looking at a miniature monitor in the wall. Tiny flashes of light bounced off of his body and cast his shadow on the opposite wall, making it move about as an erratic pulse on its surface. On the screen was the news, reporting on the most recent events. Destiny came up from behind and joined him in watching. "There's been a riot in Washington, D.C. this afternoon," he replied. "It got pretty violent."

They watched the screen as the reporter relayed the events. Each one more horrifying than the last. A protest gone wrong and many were wounded in the process. No whereabouts as to where the organizer was. The capture of Alec Lions, the infamous runaway from New York City. Wayne looked at the picture that was on the display. The boy looked faintly familiar. But his thoughts on the matter quickly turned aside as the monitor turned off.

"Why are you even watching that stuff?" Destiny asked. Her finger left the control pad in the wall and the monitor disappeared behind a retracting door. "You should be thinking about what you're about to do."

Scott watched from the corner of the room. The blue light of the large screen kept him in its mood, a cold electrical fuse that fluctuated off and on, embedding him in its orderly disorder. In his company were two other members of the team: Kelsey Walters and James Lee. They congregated in the dark room, watching their newest member talk with Destiny.

"What do you think, Scott?" asked Kelsey.

"I trust him. He was just confused before."

"Hopefully he remembers everything. I don't even remember much."

He looked at the sound manipulator. "You don't remember everything?"

"Well," she said, shrugging. "I remember 'the team'. I remember going on missions and the people… but a lot of everything else is blurry."

James turned away from the group and looked back at Wayne. "It's weird that all of you, except Scott, would remember each other but not what the government did."

Scott nodded his head. "I remember. Memories like that don't go away easily."

"Maybe we suppressed them," she suggested. "I never really thought about it."

"It makes sense," James agreed. "But traumatic experiences are never buried forever."

Scott crossed his arms and continued to watch Wayne and Destiny's conversation. He kept an eye on them, but his mind was on something else, something much more important. The moment of truth was coming soon—the end of the government's abuse of evolved humans. He had waited a long time for it. And he was prepared, both physically and mentally. Ever since he escaped from Project Silence, his mind had been wrapped around the goal of bringing them down. All of the atrocities. All of the lost lives.

Someone had to pay.

Those that followed him needed a leader. And a good leader cannot show any sign of weakness. One must be firm, resolved and complete to lead people to victory. Scott took the role because he felt that it was his duty. Out of all of them, his memories were the most intact. Still, deep inside, he didn't really recall everything; truly his memories were not as complete as he said they were. But he remembered the death. He remembered pain. He remembered Project Silence and that was enough.

He turned to the large monitor in the wall. His eyes scanned over the schematics and the plans for that night. Everything had to go absolutely right.

Kelsey came up beside him. "You look tense."

"I'm alert."

"You're nervous."

"There's nothing to be nervous about."

She smiled. "Don't worry, Scott. Everything will go according to plan."

He nodded. "I know. I'm not nervous."

"Okay," she said. "I'm going to get ready."

He did not respond.

She walked past Wayne and Destiny. "Get a room."

Their lips left their passionate lock. Wayne smirked as Kelsey walked by and out the door. Her feet made a soft tapping noise on the cold steel. He turned back to Destiny and smiled. "That's not a bad idea."

Playfully she punched him in the arm and laughed.

Scott stood beside them and said, "Are you ready?"

Wayne looked at Destiny. She beamed brilliantly like a morning star. He turned back to him. "Yes."

"Good," Scott said confidently nodding his head. As he left the room he called out, "Your talents will be needed so you'd better be!"

* * *

The hour came.

It was time.

Scott stood in front of five individuals, soldiers for a cause. They were ready to accomplish what they needed to do: Destroy Project Silence. He paced in front of them, carefully choosing his words, walking in a straight line and keeping his composure in check. He was their leader. He was ready to lead them. His voice was strong, filled the fierce determination of a seasoned general. Each word carried its own weight and filled those listening to him with a sense of duty.

"We all know how important this mission is," he stated. "There is no room for mistakes."

They nodded their heads.

"Let's go."

* * *

The moon hung in the black sky, surrounded by sparkling white dots. A white elegance surrounded the bright sphere and it shone like a lamp in a darkened forest. But it was not full. A dark shadow had fallen across its surface, leaving it in a constant state of darkness. In the middle of a large structure, in front of a large body of water, sat the Washington Monument, elegantly standing erect as a national monument, the immense tribute to the first president of the United States.

Moving across the floor were six individuals, hidden in a blanket of invisibility, covertly making their way to their desired position. The moon watched over them. At first in a line, they moved quickly through the grounds, splitting up after coming to the first checkpoint. Destiny, the perfect Watchman, or woman, hung back a few feet to make sure everything and everyone was in place. She closed her eyes allowing a mental map of everything within a five-mile radius enveloped her vision. With her ability, she could 'see' exactly where all of her teammates were located.

"Torch," she said into the communicating device attached to her ear. " A meter directly to your left is a security camera-"

Wayne groaned. "I hate my code name. It has nothing to do with my power."

"Confirm that you are in position."

"How about Lazer? With a 'z'."

"Just shoot the damn camera."

Scott took his position and waited for his orders.

"Camera One is out," came Wayne's voice.

"Roger that. Sonic you have the camera to your right."

"Camera Two is out."

"Blackout, the final security cam is at the entrance."

Scott scanned the perimeter for the specified camera and located it. He opened his hand. A strong electrical current shot out of his fingertips forming a small orb of voltage in his palm. With a powerful blast, the camera short-circuited. "Camera Three is out," he replied.

"Okay, people, we are moving into Phase Two. Send in The Invisible Man."

Connor Franklin adjusted the goggles over his eyes and confidently strode towards the immense structure. Since he bent the light around him to turn himself invisible, no light could pass through his eyes, rendering him blind. But the goggles that Destiny created for him, and anyone who he turned invisible as well, allowed him capture the light before he bent it and see.

He continued to keep his teammates hidden to the human eye. The Washington Monument approached quickly and The Invisible Man got into position. He reached out and touched the cold and rigid surface, dragging his fingers down the exterior of it and to the foot of the base. He softly tapped the ground twice allowing echoes of the hollowed ground underneath to bounce back towards him.

"I'm in position," he said into his com-device.

"Everybody move in."

Destiny and the invisible teammates around her moved to Connor's position. As they moved, he marked where the hidden door was in the ground. Destiny took a deep breath and kneeled down. "Sonic, turn off the sound and open that door."

Kelsey stood above the hidden entrance, hands outstretched in front of her body, concentrating on the sound waves around them. Each wave condensed into a concentrated wave of destruction, blowing out the door. As soon as she released the pulsating blast, she put the world on mute. The door blew open, but in complete silence.

So far, their plan was picture perfect. Everything going as expected.

Connor turned off his invisibility and everyone else's. One by one, they went down into the dark hole at the base of the Washington Monument. As soon as the last person got inside, Destiny signaled Kelsey to turn the sound back on.

"What do you see, Destiny?" Scott asked.

"I'm seeing three guards in the next hall," she replied.

Scott nodded his head. He pointed to James. "Take them out."

He obediently saluted and disappeared.

Three men softly grunted. Three men fell to the ground.

James returned. "Done."

"Have you located the room yet?"

Destiny nodded her head. "Yes. It's towards the end of this hallway."

"Good work, people," he commended the team. "We're almost done."

The six individuals confidently strode into the slick and cool corridor, past the fallen guards, and forward to their destination. Six individuals with one goal in their minds: to make sure that the government never abused the gifts of others like them. They wanted to make sure that no one had to go through the pain and struggle that they experienced. It was a noble cause to fight for and they were moving closer and closer towards the sweet taste of success. Scott smiled.

A large metal wall erected itself, suddenly blocking their path.

As if on cue, James turned around and pushed Scott to the floor.

"James!" Scott yelled.

Another wall slid down from the ceiling.

He was stuck on the other side of the barricade, blocked from the rest of the team.

Scott quickly got up and pounded his fists on the wall. He tried to break the door open with a strong blast of electricity, but it was too thick. He couldn't even dent it a little bit. Another wall came crashing down. Slowly he backed away and positioned himself between the two barriers, looking for a way to escape.

He had walked straight into a trap. But how?

James appeared in front of him.

"James!" he exclaimed. "Why did you push-"

The teleporter grabbed his arm and punched him in the stomach. In one quick action, he grabbed The Rogue Agent and teleported in place. Over and over he sucked the energy out and left just enough so that he felt the pain. Scott fell to his hands and knees, unable to stand. Feeling sick, he spit up blood and looked up at the man who he thought was his friend and teammate.

"What-" he tried to say. "What… are you doing?"

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" James responded. "I just perfected that little move. Apparently, the human body can only take so much when it dematerializes and materializes again. If I do it enough times I could kill a person." He removed the com-device and tossed it aside. "I'm killing you."

"Why?"

"Because you were about to do something bad."

"W-what?"

"You were going to take down Project Silence. And I can't allow that to happen." Scott fell onto his side, holding his stomach. James kneeled down and spoke to the fallen man. "I work for them, Scott. I work for the government."

"No… no, that's not true!"

"Don't make this over-dramatic. The truth is that you are insane. Your mind is warped beyond repair. It happened when you were on a reconnaissance mission with your team. Things went wrong and they all died except for those five on the other side of the wall and you. Scott, you came back to Silence traumatized."

"You're lying!"

"You suppressed those events, but it was too much. You wouldn't talk, or eat, or do anything. You snapped, Scott, making up reasons as to why your friends died and justifying why you failed."

"No! Silence brutally tested and trained people like us! Abusing their gifts and-"

"Do you remember that? Do you honestly remember Silence doing any of those things?"

Scott opened his mouth to retaliate, but he could not say anything. James' question made him actually stop and try to remember. He closed his eyes, trying to gather his memories. Nothing slipped past his eyes. Nothing came to memory. But James continued to speak and slowly the memories slipped through the blockade of his psyche.

It was then that he realized the truth. He had suppressed the badness for so long that he forgot. But it was there, falling in front of his eyes like rain drops during a storm, so clear and haunting that the emotions he felt during those times overtook him.

James continued. "Wayne and the rest of them were lucky because we got to them early. We erased their memories and gave them real lives so that they wouldn't have to deal with the trauma, but it was too late for you."

Scott shook his head. "Oh, God." He grabbed his head and wept for all of his fallen teammates. Their faces were burned into his memory like a photograph, each imperfection in their skin reflected in his mind, circling in a dizzying daze so that he couldn't think right. The words that James spoke came through his ears, but they didn't register in his shattered mind.

The memory was too great.

And the cycle was beginning all over again.

"I don't know how you escaped from the asylum or how you managed to find them again, but after you escaped I was sent to find you. We were trying to help you. I was trying to help you. But once you started recruiting everyone and making up your own plans, my orders changed. My orders were to get rid of The Rogue Agent." His voice held a string of sincerity. "You're sick, Scott. Nothing you ever told those people were true."

Scott slowly stood up, holding his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. The once confident general was reduced to a pitiful crying man, a man who could no longer control himself. "No- no, it can't be true. You're lying! Tell me that you're lying!"

"Am I? Why do you think the rest of them don't remember the government doing all of those horrible things? You've told them your own lies for so long that they actually believed it. I stuck around to make sure that they would make it out alive."

Scott opened his hand and shot out a weak ball of electricity.

James teleported out of the way, reappearing behind his opponent. He grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground. In one motion, he kicked him in the face and pulled out his gun.

Scott whimpered. "And now you're just going to kill me."

"Yeah."

"You're no better than the government of my imagination!" Scott yelled. "So Silence tells you to find me and kill me because I'm insane and a threat to society. If a government would be so cold to actually commit murder, then everything I said was true! You hypocrite-"

James kicked him in the face again. "Shut up, Scott! Just shut up!"

"You know that I'm right."

He took a deep breath.

Scott took a deep breath. He didn't fight back. He cared about his team now, about their well being. "What are you going to do with the rest of them?"

"Erase their memories and send them back to where they belong."

"Are you still going to kill me?"

"No." The gun went back into its holster. "But you're as good as dead anyway."

With that, he disappeared.

Scott remained on the floor, left to think about the last few minutes of life. To remember such traumatic experiences again can hurt more than when they first happened. Scott felt it. He felt the pain like a roaring flame in his mind, slowly peeling away at his consciousness.

"It's not true," he began to say to himself. "He's lying… Silence needs to be dealt with."

Scott remained on the floor, weak, frail and slowly dying. He licked his dry lips and looked around at his surroundings. There was no way to escape. Air was running out. His life was burning away. He had to find a way out of there. The dark shadows of the corners jumped to and fro across the walls, his joined them as a source of light flickered inconsistently off and on. His eyes roamed the walls until finally it stopped at the cause. One very dim light hung on the ceiling just above him.

It flickered as it tried to regain power, but it was just enough. And he had just enough energy left.

Scott closed his eyes.

His body turned into pure energy and it traveled up into the ceiling light, escaping from his grave, leaving a trail of shattered light bulbs and electrical blackouts in its wake.

* * *

A man had appeared during the blackout, unexpectedly, like the electrical short out before him. His body was bloody and bruised. Without a word or a sound, the stranger fell upon his knees, too weak to support his own weight.

Dawn rushed over to his body. "Scott?! Scott!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	33. Nothing Here

Special Thanks to my beta E for Emma

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. Alec, the former high school student, was finally apprehended by the authorities. Sarah and the others found refuge with a new friend. David and Jessica were greeted by the Janitor and the Mental Patient in The Safe House while The Rogue Agent realized a horrible truth about his past.

A new beginning for the ordinary people of our story.

CHAPTER NINETEEN "NOTHING HERE"

(The Safe House)

"Scott?!" she said. "Scott!"

The woman urgently rushed to his side.

"What the hell happened to him?"

David slowly stood up from his seat, trying to get a glimpse of the stranger. "Who is that?"

"What do we do?" Dawn was beginning to get startled.

Will took her under his arm. "It's okay, Dawn…"

"What do we do?" she asked again.

"Does he need help? I can heal him if-"

"Wait," David said abruptly. "He's saying something."

The four people moved closer to hear the man speak.

"Help…me," his voice was just above a broken whisper.

(Casey Walker – Somewhere outside of Washington, D.C.)

It was a dark night, filled with twirling specs of white amidst a black backdrop covering the heavens. The clouds slowly moved along with the current of air, making its way across the sky, occasionally blocking the moon's white glow before passing by and allowing it to shine brilliantly once again in the cold late fall weather.

Amongst the slick and the slippery, a van drove down a desolate road, every now and then sharing another vehicle with the street. In the driver's seat sat Mike 'The Spike' Porter, the protest's organizer, concentrating on getting his children home. In the passenger seat was Sarah White. She was slightly aggravated. Her fingers massaged her temples in an attempt to bore the days events out of head, an instant where she could think about the future and not linger on the guilt she felt from leaving Alec behind at the protest.

The car ride was quiet. Everyone's mind was on the protest. Each person thought about the events of the afternoon and wondered if they could have done anything different. Justin sat with his head back against the headrest, rubbing the exhaustion out of his eyes. Casey sat next to him. All she could think about was Alec. She loved him. She had forgiven him. And the moment she was going to tell him, he was taken away from her.

Mike cleared his throat. "So, uh, I guess I should apologize, Mia."

Sarah did not respond.

"Mia."

"Oh, what? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening," she finally responded.

"I apologize for not listening to you."

"Why?"

"You said to look out for suspicious people who could turn the protest into a violent riot. I didn't listen and that's exactly what happened."

She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize to me, Mike."

He chuckled uncomfortably. "You must be able to see the future with the good advice you gave me," he joked. "I'll listen next time. I promise."

Sarah gave a weak smile. She didn't feel like laughing. Or being happy. There was nothing to laugh or smile about. Nothing was going right in her life. This was just another chapter. Another event that she could add to the list of things that went horribly wrong.

(Alec Lions – Washington, D.C.)

The soft, yet annoying, dripping of the faucet woke him up.

He was lying on a hard bed, or a cot would be more appropriate. The sheets were no longer a clean white; a long abuse of it left it covered with dirty brown spots with hints of pale yellow towards the foot of the bed. It smelled of strong washing detergent, causing him to hold his nose or gag in disgust. In the corner of the hard and chilly stone floor was a toilet with a small sink to its right, with a broken faucet, dripping the rhythmic beat of falling drops of water. A mirror hung on the wall, but his reflection was shattered along with the glass.

Alec sighed and let his head fall into his palms. When he closed his eyes, nothing came to mind. All he could feel at that moment was apathy. He had made a conscious decision when he told Casey to run because he knew that she didn't love him anymore. When he saved her from the police officer he was doing it to show her that he didn't hate her for not loving him. And when he knew that he would not see her again, he made sure that she wouldn't be harmed. It didn't matter anymore what was going to happen to him.

He sat behind the caged door of a jail cell.

Apparently, the officer who tasered him only saw a police officer being attacked by a rioter. He didn't know that the person he shot was Alec Lions, a wanted criminal. Armed robbery. Murder. The whole shebang. It didn't matter. Even if most of the tales in the newspaper were false, Alec knew that he was going to stay in there for a long time.

A rap on the cell bars made him jerk up his head. The guard looked into the cell, raised his nose in contempt and adjusted his heavy belt. "Lions," he bellowed in a strong and firm voice.

He sat back into the wall his cot was connected to. "What do you want?"

"You have a visitor."

"A visitor?" Alec whispered to himself. "Who would visit me?"

His answer came in a single answer. "Hey there, Son."

"Chris," he growled between his teeth.

* * *

Scott lied on the floor of one of the white rooms inside the Safe House. His motionless body was like a stain on the sinless floor, the white room darkening a little bit in the corners. Will stood by his body with Dawn sitting nearby. They remained motionless and speechless in his presence. They did not know what to do. Jessica stood outside the door with her husband, aching to go inside and heal someone in pain.

"No," David said sternly.

She breathed out of her nose to show him her frustration. "Why not?"

He grabbed her arm and lowered his voice to a whisper. "We don't even know these people! For all we know they could be working with the Rogue Agent!"

"I can't just stand here and let someone die."

"No."

"What if they're not working for the Rogue Agent? What if they're prisoners like us? Are you willing to let them die just because you have a feeling?"

David looked into his wife's eyes, sensing her challenging glare. With an annoyed grunt, he turned away and took a peak through the semi-opened door. Dawn and Will were still there. And so was the stranger. "It's not a feeling," he said under his breath.

"David," she stood beside him. "Please, I can't allow someone to die-"

"Fine. Keep him alive, though. Don't heal him for good. If he is working for the Rogue Agent, I want to make sure we can still do something about it."

Silently she nodded her head and walked into the white room. Jessica looked at the patient faces of Dawn and Will and asked them to leave. Will nodded his head, taking his leave while Dawn took one last look at the man who had brought her food for the last two days before stepping out of the room.

David crossed his arms and waited for his wife to finish the healing process.

"So what's gonna happen now?"

He turned around and faced her. "You're Dawn, right?"

"Yeah."

He took a glance at the door. "Dawn, I'm going to find out who that man is and what we're all doing here. We were tortured and almost killed and I want to know who's behind it."

Dawn shifted her weight to the other leg. "Well, his name is Scott. I've had a few days to get to know him, but he was always nice to me and Will."

He looked at the man lying on the floor. He was wearing a similar black suit that the Rogue Soldiers were wearing on the train. David glared his eyes on the stranger in the white room. "Appearances can be deceiving."

* * *

Casey sat in the middle row of the van that drove down the freeway. She held onto the seat belt like she was grasping security itself. Her eyes drifted with the moon. The bright, sorrow of the moon. The snow flurries quickly sped by the window and she continued to look outside.

Justin sighed, twitching and fidgeting every now and then.

"Would you quit it?" she grumbled.

He repositioned himself on the uncomfortable seat. "Sorry, Casey." His voice had an edge to it.

"What's your problem?"

"What's yours?"

"Will you two shut up!"

They glared at each other and then to Sarah who turned back around in her seat. The car was once again silent. And it remained that way. But internally, everyone's mind was a storm, a torrent of conflicting thoughts and fears that no one wanted to admit.

Casey once again looked outside into the night. She wondered where Alec was and how he was doing. She wanted to be with him wherever he was. But they left him because he told her to run. That was a mistake.

"We have to go back!" she blurted out.

Justin looked at her.

Her unintentionally exclamation hung in the air, slowing settling down.

Sarah turned around. "We're not going back."

"Sarah," she pleaded. "We have to save Alec! We have-"

"We don't have to do anything."

She was stunned. She could hardly understand what she was being told. "Why?" It was the only question that she could ask.

"We are not going back, Casey so just drop it."

Casey dropped her hands into her lap. Defeated. Her bottom lip trembled. Wanting to say something more. But there was nothing more to say. Any other questions would have been answered with the same. But it didn't stop her from asking it in her head. She turned to Justin and whispered, "Why?"

* * *

He chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I never thought I'd actually see you again, Alec."

He remained on the old cot, hands gently gripping the sheets and teeth softly grinding together. Alec hated the man that stood a few feet in front of him. But he didn't want to lose his cool. He wanted to show the old man that he still had a backbone.

"I'm actually surprised," Chris stated.

Alec didn't respond.

"You got caught in a riot," he laughed again. "I thought for sure you'd be caught robbing another bank or something."

"You made me rob those banks!"

Chris smirked. "Well… I guess it doesn't really matter now because you're locked up in there and I'm– oh, did I forget to mention that I found the money that you stole? I found it inside your suitcase. You're not a very bright kid, leaving it out like that."

Alec took a deep breath to keep his nerves under control.

"So what's it like in jail?"

"Why do you care?"

"Oh nothing," Chris grabbed the bars and gave it a good pull. They would not budge and a smile swept across his face. "It's just that you're gonna be here for a very, very long time."

"But-"

"It's amazing how money can give you practically anything you want."

"What did you do?"

"I had you transferred to a high level security prison… indefinitely. So you're going to be in there for a very, very long time, where you will rot away." He smiled again. "And maybe you'll die a criminal. I can only hope."

"You son of a-"

"And even if you do break out somehow – cause we both know that your specific talents are quite able to pull off something like that – I'll be long gone before you even find my trail."

Alec stood up and rushed to the bars, grabbing the man's shirt and pulling him into the metal. "Damn it, Chris! I hate you!" As best as he could, Alec punched him in the face. He spat in his face. He completely lost his composure.

The guards quickly arrived and they tasered the young man to the floor.

Chris wiped the blood off of his lips and fixed his jacket.

The officer nodded his head. "I think it would be best if you left now."

"Yeah," he replied. He glanced at Alec's unconscious body before taking his leave.

Alec rolled over onto his back and groaned. The stinging pain lingered on his sides and on his stomach. His fist hurt from punching Chris' skull. But the pain was nothing in comparison to the dulling feeling of truth. He was going to go to prison for a very long time. And he knew that he deserved to be there.

* * *

Jessica opened the door and walked out of the room.

"Can he speak?"

"He can speak."

David grabbed the door handle and stepped into the doorway.

"What are you going to do?"

"Find out the truth."

He closed the door and locked it.

Scott breathed in slowly and cringed, gingerly touching his chest, as David walked into the room. He looked at his determined face and his enclosed fist. "What are you going to do to me?" he asked.

"Anything to make you talk."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	34. Wounds That Heal

Special thanks to my beta E for Emma

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities and their amazing gifts have led them down a path of uncertainty. A defender's fight to find answers. A young man's plight in an inevitable situation. And the anger that slowly builds within a girl who seeks for her loved one.

There are many questions to be answered as each ordinary person asks _why_.

CHAPTER TWENTY "WOUNDS THAT HEAL"

(The Safe House)

Jessica sat on the couch, eagerly anticipating the return of her husband and anxiously dreading the small talk that was sure to come from the two other individuals in the empty room. She kept her demeanor reserved and silently, and stayed on her side of the couch as Will and Dawn congregated on the other. They talked amongst themselves and every now and then Dawn would look back to the woman sitting on the edge of the couch in her lonesome.

"Would you like some company?"

Jessica looked up to see a smiling Dawn, hands in pockets and a certain brilliance in her eyes. She shook her head. "Uh, no. I'm fine."

She sat down next to her anyway. "I'm Dawn. What's your name?"

"Jessica," her response was hesitant.

"Have you ever seen the show called 'Heroes'?"

"Um, no."

"I heard it's good. I personally haven't seen it, but I heard it's really good."

Jessica uncomfortably looked away and at the white wall. Dawn remained next to her. She smiled at particularly nothing before looking back to Will and shrugging her shoulders. He coolly walked to the lazy boy chair on the opposite side the Jessica and took a seat.

"Hello," he said.

She politely nodded her head. "Hello." Her head went back to the white wall. The only place she felt comfortable looking at without having to fear the stare of the other two people in the room.

"So, um…" Dawn began.

"Why are you two talking to me?"

Dawn looked at Will who looked back, both in an odd expression of shock.

She thought for a second before answering. "I don't know… maybe it's because you were all alone and we thought you could use some company."

Jessica looked at Will and then back to Dawn. "Oh. I'm sorry for being rude… it's just that a lot has happened to us lately and, well, let's just say I'm kind of on edge right now."

"Tell me about it," Dawn heartily agreed. "We totally understand. Well, I do at least."

Will sat back into the chair and crossed his arms. "If we tell you our stories, will you tell us yours?"

Dawn clapped her hands with glee. "Yeah, that would be fun. Swapping stories is always fun."

Jessica allowed a small smile to form in the corner of her lips. "Okay."

(Sarah White – Newark, New Jersey)

Inside the darkness of an unlit room, the house seemed peaceful. It was the only time that it got to be alone with the still and the loneliness. A cold sliver of light passed through the drapes that cast a white glow onto the couch. Little floating particles drifted in and out of the shaft of luminance and were disturbed by the sudden opening of the front door. The owner had arrived.

"Well, here's my home," Mike proclaimed. He allowed his guests to walk in first. As his children came through he told them each to get ready for bed and to go to sleep.

Casey trumped into the living room, silent with anger and frustration. Justin fell on the couch, tired and completely exhausted. Sarah waited at the door until Mike closed it before she went to join the others. After a long pause and a glare from Casey, she took a seat on the empty couch. Four people in an empty room.

He turned on the lights and opened the cupboard. "Anybody thirsty?" he asked.

Nobody responded.

"I'll take that as a 'no'."

The sound of gushing water through the faucet came to Sarah's ears. She turned her head and looked at a half asleep Justin. His mouth was half open, drool had slowly seeped out.

"Justin," she whispered. "Wipe your mouth."

Abruptly he sat up. He wiped the saliva off of his cheek and quickly turned over the cushion that he had drooled on. A small nervous smile displayed itself on his lips as he tried to keep awake.

"You look tired," Mike stated to him.

"I am."

He placed his cup of water on a coaster and sat on the couch next to Sarah. "If you want you can sleep in my son's room. Just tell Danny to sleep in his sister's room tonight."

"Where does Danny sleep?"

"Down the hall and the first hall to your right."

"Um… would you mind if I took a shower too? I haven't taken one in a while-"

"The towels are in the bathroom closet and the bathroom is at the very end of the hall. Make sure you lock the door."

"Thank you!"

Justin ran off down the hall. Then there were three.

Mike turned to Casey. "You can take a shower too when he's done."

Casey gave a blank response but nodded her head.

"Okay… just make sure you lock the door. I got a curious twelve-year-old in this house." He smiled, trying to get one out of her.

"I'm gonna wait by the door," she said to no one in particular. Her voice was a dry and monotonous groan. She was definitely angry.

Then there were two.

Sarah chuckled, changing the subject. "So, Mike, you have a nice house."

* * *

Jessica laughed as Will related a story about his life as a janitor. He was a person who enjoyed his simple life. Although being a janitor wasn't the most successful or prestigious line of work, he found joy in being able to do enough to make a living and still be able to have time to do recreational activities.

He knew of a few people he went to school with who ended up being rich men. But the one thing that he remembered most about all of them was how miserable they were. Each one looking over their shoulder and wondering when someone would steal their possessions. They had so much materially and worked so often, they never got a chance to take a break and just enjoy life. Which is exactly what Will liked working as a janitor. He didn't mind not having the latest and the greatest. He was happy with what he had.

She looked at Dawn. The mental patient. Jessica felt a sort of sadness for her. Dawn had a rough life. Barely remembered her parents. Lived a good portion of her life with an abusive 'boyfriend'. A brother who suddenly turned up out of nowhere. He turned out to be a jerk. Then the six years at a mental institution where she was regarded as one of the insane. And she was adamant that she was sane. But the trouble was that there was no way of telling if her mind was actually warped in such a way. Jessica guessed that there was a little bit of truth to it. She also noticed that Dawn had a joyous smile despite her life. It was nice to see a genuine smile through the pain and heartache.

Will and Jessica continued to enjoy each other's stories. Dawn stopped laughing and fixated her gaze at the man walking into the room.

Jessica stood up. "David…"

"He needs to be healed," he said.

Quickly, she hurried out of the living room.

Will and Dawn remained quiet.

The lightness of the happy moment disappeared when David walked over to the sink and washed blood off of his knuckles.

* * *

"Well, like my father always used to tell me: you're an idiot if you believe an idiot. I guess I'm an idiot," Mike said finishing up a story.

Sarah laughed. "You refer to your father a lot. He must have meant a lot to you."

"He does. Always had something to say that actually meant something. He taught me a lot. He was a funny guy too. Like the time when I came back from the army, I didn't look anything like I did when I left. Remember how I told you I looked like a stick when I joined? Well, when I came back I was all muscle. I was sitting on the couch drinking a beer when my dad walked through the door; he had just got home from work. And he stepped into the living room and looked at me and said, "Stella?! Who the hell is this guy in our living room?!" He didn't even recognize me. We had a few beers and a good laugh over it later." He paused, remembering the event. "We had a lot of good times, me and him."

Sarah smiled.

"Well how 'bout you, Mia? What's your story?"

Sarah bit her lip. In one question a storm of thoughts twirled inside her head. Questions seeped through the chaos tormenting her mind. Out of sense of guilt, she wanted to tell him the truth. Her real name. Her real life. He remained quiet and waited for a response. Sarah took a deep breath. "Mike… I have to tell you something. I have to tell you the truth."

"Okay."

She made the decision. "My name isn't Mia. It's Sarah."

Mike only nodded his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before but-"

"No need to tell me, Mia, I mean, Sarah. We're all entitled to our secrets."

"There's more that I think you should know."

"Go ahead. You can tell me anything."

She hesitated. "I have… I don't really know how to say this, but… I have special abilities that normal people don't have."

"I don't quite understand."

"Look." She extended her hand over the tabletop where his drink resided on top of a coaster. Slowly she moved her hand through the solid material, her hand passing through, as her density became less than the wood. She brought her hand back up and looked at the man before her.

"Wow," he whispered. "That is, uh… that was the weirdest thing I have ever seen."

She exhaled deeply. "I've never told anybody that… Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," he said. He showed no sign of sarcasm. He was being honest. "Let me just process this for a second or two, but I'll be okay."

"Why?"

"Why am I okay with it?"

"Yeah."

He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because my father taught me not to fear what I don't understand. I mean, I really don't understand what you did right now, but… if you trusted me enough to tell me about it then it can't be that bad."

"Thank you, Mike. Thanks for understanding."

He smiled. "Is that it? Are there anymore secrets?"

She took a deep breath. "And I'm a fugitive."

* * *

David took a deep breath. He leaned on the counter with his head down. The red from his knuckles slowly slid down the drain. Every now and then he would turn on the faucet and splash his face with water and contemplate some more. He wouldn't say a word. His eyes were troubled. His body trembled. He took a deep breath. He couldn't calm himself down.

Jessica slowly walked in.

"What did you find out?" she asked.

"He's the Rogue Agent."

"What?"

"He says that everything – the first attack at the hotel, on the train, at the train station - it was just a ploy… something to get Wayne here. To him. But he also said that he's not really who we think he is."

"Do you believe him?"

"No. He didn't admit to torturing us either."

"David," she said. "Where's Wayne?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone."

"Did he say where-"

"He gone, Jessica!"

Jessica stood still. The outburst surprised her. She held her tears in. She kept herself composed. "So…so what do we do now?"

He covered his forehead with the palm of his hands and shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know."

* * *

Justin lied on the bed. His eyes were closed but he was no longer tired. Tiny droplets of water ran down from his still wet hair, down his face, and onto the blanket of the bed that he was resting on. A serene silence enveloped around him in the room. His soft breathing provided a rhythm for his wandering mind. The door opened and Casey came inside.

He sat up. "Didn't that shower feel so good?"

She smiled a small smile. "Yeah… it was."

As she took a seat at the foot of the bed, he scooted down to accompany her. "Are you okay? You were quiet the entire ride here."

She paused for just a moment. "I can't believe she won't go back to get Alec. I don't understand why she doesn't want to. He- he would've gone back for her if she was captured."

"Would he?"

"You don't think he would?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, Casey. During times likes these, I don't know how anybody would act. I would like to think that he would do something noble like that. I actually thought we'd go back to get him too, but… Sarah seems pretty resolved. I don't think we're going back."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No. I'm not. I want to go back to get him too but-"

"But what, Justin? If you really wanted to you would've said something."

"We don't even know where he is. And even if we did, how are we going to get him? We're only three people. I don't have powers. You're don't use yours for some reason. Sarah can't do everything. I'm just being reasonable here, Casey."

"We have to go back to get him," she said. "We have to."

Justin sighed.

A low rumbling came through the open window. It sounded like an approaching truck. It broke his train of thought. He moved from his spot on the bed to the window to take a look.

"Oh crap…"

* * *

"Get out! I want you to leave right now!" Mike yelled.

Justin jumped down the stairs. "Sarah! We've got trouble."

Sarah became alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"Look outside."

Slowly she turned to her head towards the window. Mike was already moving towards it to see for himself. She got up. She took a deep breath. Her face become hot and her mind wouldn't allow her to concentrate on one thing. She feared for the worse.

"Oh my God."

Sarah looked through the half open blinds.

A SWAT truck had pulled up. Black bodies filed out of the back onto the snow-covered lawn. Their weapons were concealed against their uniforms, hidden in the dark of night, but every now and then, the moonlight would hit at just the right angle to show the onlookers that they meant business. Usually some police officers would be sent first, but apparently Sarah was a higher priority than that. A few circled around to the other houses nearby to tell the residents that an arrest was in process and to stay indoors. Mike's house was taped off and the first wave made their way to the front door.

She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm sorry I brought you into this, Mike. I'm so sorry."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	35. High Speed

Special thanks for E for Emma, who is no longer my beta. She helped me with my grammatical errors and I thank her for all the help.

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities and their amazing gifts have led them down a path of uncertainty. Escape seems grim for Sarah White, who has brought Mike and his children into the fray while the journey to find Wayne has come to a stagnant standstill for David and Jessica.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE "HIGH SPEED"

"Survival of the fittest. Every man for himself. Those that do not defend themselves die and those who fight to live continue on, leaving the weak behind. Those who can't survive don't deserve to. This ideology rules our lives even today. It is in our nature as human beings to want to live. In times of struggle and despair how hard will we fight to survive? How much will we sacrifice to sustain our very souls?" – Mohinder Suresh

"Go wake your children. We're leaving."

"No."

(Sarah White – Newark, New Jersey)

She grabbed his arm and stared intently into his eyes. She needed to make her point clear and make it fast. "Mike, you're apart of this now whether you like it or not. Get your children. We're leaving," she added more forcefully

He stood defiantly, staring back at her.

Justin looked at the man and then back to the woman.

Time was running out.

Mike brushed her hand away from his arm. "Nothing, and I mean nothing better happen to my children, Sarah, or so help me…" Without finishing his sentence he left the window.

Justin looked out at the grouping SWAT officers.

"Help him, Justin. You don't want to be around for this."

He nodded his head and left.

Sarah turned back and peered through the blinds. The SWAT members were going to storm the house. And she was going to be ready for them.

(Alec Lions – U.S Maximum Security Prison)

"You must have done something really bad if you're in here, kid," said the guard. He grinned before tapping the door. He left without another word.

Alec sighed. He looked at his bland surroundings. A small room with nothing to decorate its emptiness but a bunk bed. The beds were made out of metal, protruding out of the wall so that there would be little chance for an inmate to make any makeshift weapon from bed parts. The mattress was somehow nailed to the bed, softer than rock but harder than a cloud. It was just hard enough to be uncomfortable. He was on the top bunk, dangling his feet over the side. Two small cameras hung on the ceiling from the corners, one closest to the door and the other hanging opposite of the bunk bed. The walls were painted a dull grey. It made him feel boring and dull just looking at it.

He fell upon the mattress, rolling onto his side to look at the wall. All he wanted to do was go to sleep but his head was still turned on, stuck in a savage battle between his heart and mind.

Part of him wanted to escape. But another part of him knew that he needed to stay. He needed to serve his sentence. The young man's mind was torn between what he wanted and what he knew was right. Like a battle between two fierce warriors, he didn't know which side was going to win: the side that wanted to escape or the side that wanted to remain.

Just as Alec was beginning to drift off into sleep, the door to the prison cell opened. He turned his head to see who was coming in. A guard had a man by his collar.

"You have a roommate, Lions," said the guard. "I'm sure you two will become the best of friends." With that he kicked the prisoner into the room and left, locking the door behind him.

The other prisoner had long straight hair that parted perfectly in the middle of his scalp. It was dark brown, with a stray black hair entangled with it every now and then. A mustache and beard, finely cut, was fashioned to his face. But his eyes were what disturbed Alec the most. The prisoner's eyes were a bright blue, almost white, that seemed to glow the first time he looked at him.

The prisoner got up to his feet and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Well, I see Floyd got transferred to another cell," he said casually.

"Who's Floyd?" Alec had to ask.

"He was the inmate before you."

"You've been here before?"

"Oh yeah," he said, still as casual as a conversation to a close friend. "They always put me in the same damn cell…"

"Why do you-"

"Oh, how rude of me. I'm Tyler."

Alec crossed his arms cautiously. "Lions."

"I gather you don't want to tell me your first name."

"Yup."

"That's fair." He nodded his head and grinned. In a quick motion, he grabbed Alec, threw him to the floor and jumped onto the top bunk. He smiled again. "Top bunk is mine, kid. Always has been."

Alec looked up from where he sat. After he stood back up, he fixed his shirt. "Sorry," he said sarcastically.

(The Safe House)

Scott was on the floor, his head resting on its side in a way that paralleled the thin line that was the ground. His body was calm. Unmoving. His eyes hung open, staring across the floor at the middle of the wall opposite of him. He could only see the flashes of memory that fell across his vision. The small dots in the white of his eye strained to see what wasn't there. In the dim light there wasn't much to see, but his mind continued to search for something. His mind continued to finger through the memories that he remembered and those that James had told to him.

The shattered mind.

His lost sanity.

He believed for so long the lies that he told himself that he was a completely new person now. Edgy. Rough. Scared.

He did not stir in his stillness. Over and over he whispered in his mind that he was not insane. Over and over he whispered in his mind that it was the government who was responsible for his troubles. Over and over he whispered in his mind that the man named James Lee was an enemy.

The door creaked open.

His eyes dilated. Adjusted to the new source of light.

"I told you everything I know," he muttered.

"Um…I'm not here to interrogate you."

He looked up to see Dawn's face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"David doesn't trust you."

"I know he doesn't. He's still angry."

"But I believe that you're trustworthy, Scott. I believe it."

"Thank you. But until he's calm enough to think rationally, I'm going to keep certain information away from him. Until he knows that the only way to get his friend back is to trust me, I'm going to stay right here."

Dawn looked around the room just a little bit confused.

"Don't worry, Dawn. I'm withholding information for a good cause. Trust me."

"Okay," she nodded her head. "I'll trust you."

He grinned. "Now go tell David what I told you. I'm sure he'll want to talk to me again once you do."

* * *

Sarah waited by the front door, back against the wall, density steadily increasing. She waited for the first person to enter. She held her breath. Her fist was clenched. Her feet were set. The doorknob twisted slowly and the door crept open. She waited for the right moment to strike.

The masked figure held its weapon in front of its face, eyes scanning the darkness of the household. Following closely behind were more members of the SWAT Team. He, the first to enter, held an M4 A1Colt with the silencer on, the second had a semi-automatic wrapped around its shoulder, and the last pointed a 9mm GLOCK. The first officer stopped and held up its hand, making gestures to the right and to the left. The followers silently nodded their heads and exited in the specified directions.

Sarah took a step forward. Quickly she grabbed the M4 A1Colt and crushed it in-between her left hand. With her free hand she took his head and slammed it into the wall. A strong punch to the face rendered him unconscious.

The second officer turned around after hearing the muffled cry. He readied his weapon. Foot over foot, slowly he moved across the floor towards the sound that he heard. He walked right into the highly dense fist of Sarah White. He flew back a few feet before crashing into the ground, his face crushed and bloody.

The third officer heard the ruckus. Quickly, he rushed to assist his teammates. He passed by the first officer and glanced at the second not too far away. He brought his two-way radio up to his mouth. "We have some trouble," he said. "Mack and Turner are down. Assistance is needed.'

"Roger that," came a reply. "The second wave is on their way."

He looked up. Sarah was standing in the archway to the kitchen. His GLOCK aimed at her head. "Freeze!" he commanded.

Sarah turned around and walked forward.

"I'm warning you! Freeze!"

She continued on.

He fired three shots.

Three casings fell to the ground.

Three bullets bounced off of her face.

"What the hell?"

She swung her arm and punched him just underneath the chin. His body spun through the air, finally crashing through the wall on the opposite side of the house.

Justin jumped down the flight of stairs. He stopped near the fallen body of a SWAT officer. "Whoa… um, okay, Mike has his kids. What now?"

"Tell him to get to his car."

"Can't be done."

"Why?"

"It's in the driveway."

"How is that a problem-"

"So is the SWAT truck!"

She peered through the blinds again. "Damn it… they're sending more." Grabbing Justin's arm she pushed him back on the first step. "Tell Casey to get down here and tell Mike to stay where he is."

"Got it."

As he left she closed her eyes and rekindled her concentration.

The door flew open. Unified stomping of the reinforcements reached her ears as they filed in.

"Freeze!" one yelled.

She put her hands up. A determined grin on her face.

* * *

"Who did you kill?"

Alec turned over onto his back and looked at the bottom of the top bunk. "What?"

"Did you kill someone to get here?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

Alec let the question sink into his heart. It was the very question he was asking himself. He knew that he could leave if he wanted to. _But did he want to?_ His hands were guilty of criminal activities whether or not he was forced to do it. Chris was the real criminal, but Alec was the instrument used. He was just as guilty as Chris.

Tyler's head appeared over the edge of the top bunk. His hair reacting to the force of gravity. "Well?"

"I stole from a few banks."

"That's it?"

Alec nodded.

He laughed and disappeared from sight. "I thought you did something a lot worse. Why the hell would you be in a maximum security prison?"

"It doesn't matter anyway. I am guilty though," the young man stated to himself out loud.

The other prisoner's head reappeared. "No you're not. Only an innocent person would think he's guilty."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it, Lions. It makes perfect sense."

As his head went back over to barrier of steel, Alec thought about what Tyler said. _Only an innocent person would think he's guilty_. Would a guilty person try to prove his innocence? Would an innocent person really prove that he's guilty?

"So," he began. "What's for dinner tonight?"

Alec shook his head to bring himself back to the moment. "Um, I – I don't know…"

"Well, let's see, today is Tuesday so… man, I don't remember what they serve on Tuesdays."

"Why do you keep coming back?" He had to ask.

His head reappeared over the side of the bunk bag. "What are you talking about?"

"You keep talking like you've been here before-"

"'Cause I have."

"If you've left, then why did you come back?"

"I always come back."

Alec left his bunk and glared into the inmate's eyes. "Why?"

Tyler smirked and sat right side up. "You ask a lot of questions for someone who likes to keep his private life private."

"Are you gonna tell me or not?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why not. I come back because I get three meals a day, a bed to sleep on and I can leave whenever I want. It's like I'm living in a hotel for free."

"Why can you leave whenever you want?"

Tyler leaned in close to Alec's face so that their eyes met. The white around his pupils began to envelop it and cast it in a reddish glow. "I can leave whenever I want," he said. "Because I can do whatever I want."

Alec took a few steps backward.

The inmate grinned. "Cool, huh?"

* * *

She ran forward yelling at the top of her lungs. The SWAT members aimed and pulled the trigger. The sound of spraying bullets exploded through the wooden walls, casings crashing onto the floor beneath them, clips reloading in a fury.

"Hold your fire!" The leader commanded.

The gunpowder hung in the air like a fog. The outline of a figure approached from the thick. Sarah stood in front of the line, her arms crossed in an almost defiant manner, and a grin on her face.

She grabbed the two men closest. After slamming their bodies together, she flung them through the wall to her left. The others continued to shoot, but the bullets could not pass through the extreme density of her body. Harmlessly the metal projectiles fell to the ground with nothing more than a quiet click.

Sarah punched the man to her left and kneed him in the stomach. She took hold of him by the vest and flung him into another SWAT officer.

The last officer of the reinforcements tried to attack her with his rifle. Easily, she disposed of the weapon. It crushed in her hand. She blocked a punch and kicked him through the window in front of her.

Casey timidly came down the stairs. "Sarah!" she half whispered.

She turned around. "Casey, good, you're here. I could use your help to-"

"Help? You want my help?" her voice was edgy and rebellious. She wanted to show that her opinion of Sarah wasn't very high at the moment.

"Yeah. I'll take care of the truck and you take care of the officers."

"What do you mean 'take care'?"

Sarah took a glance through the broken window. She turned back to the High School Junior. "Use your powers. Distract them, shoot them with water – I don't know, do anything. I need to move the truck out of the way."

Casey looked down at her hands. She trembled.

Before she could say anything, Sarah pulled her down and covered her with her body. Gunshots rang through the broken house and bullets pierced every inch of the room they were in.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked.

"I'm fine. I'll be okay."

"Good. Now get to work."

"Sarah-"

She could not finish that sentence either. Sarah had already left.

Sarah ran through the doorway and towards the SWAT truck as fast as her dense body would allow her. Bullets ricochet off of her head and shoulders. The SWAT officers slowly backed away as she came closer, they had no idea what to make of what they were SWAT members fired relentlessly without avail.

She jumped into the air while simultaneously decreasing her density. Her feet left the ground and her body soared through the air above the large vehicle. The SWAT officers could only watch in awe or in terror. They had seen nothing like it before.

Density shift.

Sarah smashed through the top, crumbling a large portion of the truck's body inward. The chassis snapped under the pressure. The SWAT members were startled by the wreckage, but soon they regained their senses and filed in to investigate. Sarah waited.

Every person that entered into the broken truck met nothing but pain and surprise.

Expertly, she evaded attacks by decreasing her molecular density and dealt blows with bone-crushing might by increasing it. The power that coursed through her body released with every punch. With every connection her fist made to one of the SWAT member's head, she vented out her emotions. Frustration for having to fight to live. Anger for herself about bringing Mike and his children, innocent bystanders, into the mess that she called her life.

With a final swing of her arm, Sarah stood victoriously over her opponents.

She stepped out of the ripped and torn wreckage of the smashed SWAT truck onto the lightly snow covered grass. Sarah took a deep breath before taking hold of the bumper. Slowly she pulled it out of the way to unblock their escape vehicle.

She looked at the house. It was pathetic. Windows were broken or shattered, the foundation full of bullet holes and crumbling walls. The front door was in wooden pieces. Everything in shambles. Snowfall should have provided a light atmosphere. All it did was make things gloomier. The falling flakes contrasted her dark blazer. Even though she was won the fight, she didn't feel like she accomplished anything. All she did was prolong her arrest.

She couldn't fight forever. She couldn't run forever.

Mike and his children walked out of the house followed by Justin and Casey. She looked at their faces. Anger. Fear. Resentment. No one looked happy that she had saved their lives. She didn't even believe that saving their lives was something to be proud of. She was pulling everyone deeper and deeper into the void that surrounded her.

Casey looked at the ex-FBI Agent. The resentment was replaced by a hint of fear for a split second.

Sarah sighed and followed them into Mike's van.

The dark and cold night ended. The van pulled out of the driveway, leaving behind destruction and hope. The darkness that surrounded the night hung ominously over the house in a sad realization that no one was safe as long as Sarah was still a wanted criminal.

* * *

Dawn walked out of the room.

David stood right in front of her.

"What were you doing in there?"

"Talking to Scott."

"About what?"

"You."

He narrowed his eyes and took a step closer. "Why?"

"He thinks that you don't trust him."

David scoffed. "That's an understatement."

A small pause filled the space. Dawn crossed her arms. "Do you want to save your friend?"

The question caught him off guard. "What?"

"How do you expect to save your friend Wayne if you won't trust the only person who knows where he is?"

"What? I… how do you know about Wayne?"

"Scott is in there, David. He needs you to trust him."

"How do you know about Wayne?"

"I looked at chapters 30 and 31. It explains it all there."

David pushed her out of the way. He grabbed the lock and opened it.

Scott slowly sat up. "I was wondering when you were going to get here?"

David took a deep breath. "Tell me everything, Scott. I know you know where Wayne is. I'm his bodyguard. I made a promise that I wouldn't let anything happen to him." He grabbed the man by his shirt, pulling him closer to his face. "I need to save him. I need to find Wayne."

Scott showed his teeth. "So… do you trust me?"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	36. Try To Recover

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. These ordinary people have endured pain and suffering. They have faced death and betrayal. These events have shaped their lives into the people that they were destined to become.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO "TRY TO RECOVER"

(The Safe House)

David took a deep breath. "Tell me everything, Scott. I know you know where Wayne is. I'm his bodyguard. I made a promise that I protect him from danger." He grabbed the man by his shirt, pulling him closer to his face. "I am going to keep that promise. I need to save him. I need to find Wayne."

Scott showed his teeth. "So… do you trust me?"

"There comes a time when we must decide if, to get what we want, we can do whatever is necessary. There comes a time when we must let go, and allow those around us to go their separate ways…"

(Sarah White – Newark, New Jersey)

Sarah took a deep breath.

No one said a word.

The car drove quietly down the slippery white road.

She looked at the man who drove the car. He was quiet. Not a good sign when the person was usually talkative. She glanced at the others in the backseat. The faces. The eyes. Casey. Justin. They both looked exhausted. She turned back around in her seat and looked out the window. A tear rolled down her soft cheek.

"In the better interest of others, these dilemmas can benefit us. Define us. The decision that we make will indeed change the course of our life. Are you ready to decide?" – Mohinder Suresh

* * *

David chose his words wisely. "I trust that you'll tell everything you know."

Scott continued to smile. "All right, David. You want to know the truth? Here it is: I worked with a man by the name of James Lee-"

"James Lee?"

"You've heard of him?"

"Wayne told me that he was the one who told him about you."

"Yes, well, James Lee worked for a secret organization of the government called The Silence Project. Government officials in Silence knew about evolved humans, people like you and me, and they forced certain ones to be a military task force. If no one did what the wanted they killed them. Wayne was apart of that task force, as was I. When I found out the truth I liberated him from that tyranny. I thought James was for the destruction of Silence, but he betrayed me, taking Wayne and the others I had liberated with him."

"So James Lee was a spy for the government."

"Yes."

"Do you know where he is right now?"

A pause. Scott's neck twitched and his fingers became sweaty. David let go of his shirt and waited for a response.

"Yes," he answered. "He's in the secret headquarters of Silence."

"And where is that?"

"Underneath the Washington Monument." He twitched again. Nervously he took a deep breath, taking his hand to his brow to wipe it of sweat. "That's where they conduct their activity."

David pushed the weak prisoner into the wall. "If you're lying to me…"

"I'm not lying!"

He stared into the white of his eyes.

"I'm not lying," he repeated.

"You'd better not."

Their eyes locked in a stare down before David turned to leave, leaving the man and the room to the silence that followed. The door opened. David took one last look at Scott before exiting. The Rogue Agent remained against the wall as the entrance closed. The room became dark again. He twitched, a nervous habit that manifested itself. It was his tell. He twitched again, forcing a sly smile between his ears.

* * *

Mike gripped the wheel. His breathing was hard, concentrated to the moment. Sarah eyed him through the corner of her vision. She could only imagine what was going through his mind. Roughly he combed his hair back with his hand and drove down the empty road.

Sarah sighed. "I'm sorry, Mike."

"I don't want to hear it."

"I don't care if you don't want to hear it. I'm telling you right now that I never meant any of this to happen."

The van slid to a halt on the shoulder of the road. Danny and Tara jerked forward, coming awake after the abrupt stop. Casey held onto her seatbelt and Justin nervously looked around at everyone to make sure they were okay.

"What did you say?" Mike growled between the cages of his teeth.

Sarah faced him. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"'_You never meant for any of this to happen_?!" He repeated. "You gave me a fake name, allowed me to take you to my house and during that whole time you knew that the police were looking for you. As soon as you came with me from that riot – you had full knowledge that I was harboring a fugitive!"

"Mike-"

"What the hell did you expect was going to happen?!"

"Don't yell at me, Mike."

"You put my life in danger! You put my children's lives in danger!"

"Don't yell at me."

His voice rose. "You destroyed my house!"

"Don't yell at me, Mike! You have no idea what I'm going through!"

He laughed at her comment. He looked at the passengers in the back seats. They stared at him. He turned back to her. " What _you're_ going through?" He laughed again. "Tell me, Sarah, what _are_ you going through? I'm sure running away from the authorities, endangering innocent people's lives and destroying things along the way is very hard. Oh, Sarah, what happened to that other boy, Alec? Was that his name? How hard was it to leave him behind?"

Sarah punched the door. "Now you've gone too far! I had to! He told Casey and Justin to run, so they did and so did I. You have no idea how difficult it is to protect people who voluntarily follow you around."

"I have a pretty good idea, Sarah. I have two children of my own to protect."

"Are you running away from the police?"

"No."

"Then don't patronize me!" She clenched her fists, trying to control an outburst of more anger. "Do you know why I'm running away from the authorities? I made a decision to protect Alec's life because he was special like me. You don't have special gifts, Mike, I don't expect you to understand how important it is for us to stick together. My assignment was to turn him in for some robberies that he was forced to do by some punk father of his but _I didn't_ because I protect the people who I care about." She glared at Mike. "Yes, running away from the authorities is hard."

Mike shook his head. "You're a selfish person, Sarah."

"I'm selfish?"

"Yes… so you disobeyed orders so that you could protect Alec. And Casey and Justin. They follow you around voluntarily, I get that."

She nodded her head.

"But every time you save them from an attack by the police, every time you continue to run with them tailing behind you, you're not helping them. You may think you're protecting them, but you bring them deeper into the hole you're in. And worst of all, you do nothing about it." The tone of Mike's voice changed. It was no longer loud and accusing. It was soft. "Those officers shoot because they want you, Sarah. Not Casey. Not Justin. I called you selfish because you don't have the decency to force them to leave because your actions have put their lives in danger too."

Sarah opened her mouth to retaliate, but she could not.

"Alec? Where's he at now?" He asked in a calm voice. "He told you to run. Okay… but if you really meant what you said about the importance of sticking with people like you, you would've gone back. Even if it did require that you maybe put your own life at risk of being caught."

His words stung her heart. Nothing hurts more than the truth.

"And me and my children. Sarah, you were willing to use us – I don't have a home anymore. Even now you keep us with you, to 'protect' us… but what are you going to do if the authorities catch me? Would you come back for me? Or would you keep running? It looks to me like you're willing to sacrifice the lives of the people around you so that yours can continue to run."

"Mike…" Sarah could not finish. Fresh tears ran out of her eyes.

Everything he said was true.

* * *

David sat on the couch contemplating the information that Scott had given to him. There was a lot to fish through. He wanted to save Wayne. But he wasn't sure if the man inside that room could be trusted. A secret government organization that forced people into service didn't seem plausible, especially for the United States government. But his information was detailed. There really could be a secret base underneath the Washington Monument.

Jessica took a seat next to the contemplating man. "What are you thinking about?"

"Scott," he answered. "I'm still deciding whether or not I can trust his story."

"I don't think you have much of a choice. Wayne is out there somewhere. We need to save him."

"I know."

"Give him the benefit of the doubt."

"It's not that simple."

"It's Wayne's life, David. Trust the man."

His mind ran over Scott's words. He had to make a decision but so many questions still plagued him. Scott was a variable in complex equation. Wayne was the answer. There was only one choice. He looked at his wife and reassured her with a smile. After getting up, he headed to the temporary jail cell. Scott would be waiting for an answer. He was going to give him one.

The door opened.

"Scott…"

"Yes?"

"I just came to tell you that when I find Wayne, I'll let you go."

"When you find him? So you believe me."

"I'm going to go to the Washington Monument right now and get him."

Scott laughed. "You're insane if you think you'll past the security defenses by yourself."

"Don't worry. When I have a strong purpose, there's nothing that can stand in my way."

"Well, you can do it your way," he paused, baiting David to hear him out. "Or you could do it the right way."

David crossed his arms in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

Scott slowly got up to his feet. He slid his way towards the man. "Do you realize that you could stop Silence too? Save Wayne. Destroy Silence. You're a powerful man, and you could use your talents to take down the very core of corruption in our government. You could be a hero."

"I'm not here to destroy Silence. I'm here for-"

"Wayne, yes I know. But if you go and save Wayne, don't you think the government will try to get their man back? You could just save him. But you'd risk losing him again."

David slowly exhaled. He didn't want to lose Wayne a second time.

"Take down Silence and you free every human with special abilities from the evilness of our twisted government. We have a duty to our people, David. A duty to protect them. If we have a way to do something good, we must take every action possible to make sure that the good triumphs." He grinned again. "And we have a way."

"What way is that?"

"You, me, your wife. Even Dawn and Will. We can take them down together… and save Wayne."

"I'd need to heal you completely."

"Yes you would."

David pondered over his options. Scott eagerly waited for a response.

"Okay, Scott. We take down Silence. We save Wayne. What's in it for you?"

"Silence destroyed my life. I get the sweet taste of revenge."

David nodded. "That's fair enough."

"So we'll do it then?"

"If you double-cross us, so help me, I'll finish what I started when I first interrogated you."

Scott opened his hand and extended it out towards him.

David shook the hand.

Scott nodded his head. "Good. We'll need to begin our training right away."

David's face twisted in confusion. "Training?"

* * *

"So what do we do?"

Mike gingerly put his hand on her shoulder. He glanced at the four people in the back seats and nodded his head in a manner very matter-of-fact. "Let us go, Sarah. Let my children go, let Casey and Justin go… let me get back to what life I have left."

She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Sarah, I know you know it's the right thing to do. You can't keep running with us following behind."

She nodded her head. "I know. It's just… it's just that the right thing isn't always the easiest thing."

"I know," Mike grabbed her hand. He squeezed it to tell her that he was no longer mad at her. "I know."

Justin unbuckled his seat belt. "So… we're leaving you?"

"I can't expect you to follow me wherever I go anymore, Justin."

Casey unbuckled her seat belt.

"Like Mike said, 'it's the right thing to do'."

Mike turned the keys, killing the ignition, and unlocked the doors. He opened the driver's side and stepped out. Justin and Casey hesitantly looked at once another. They looked at the melancholy of Sarah's body language. With their heads down, the two high school students exited the vehicle. Tara and Danny unbuckled their seatbelts and left the van as soon as the two left.

Sarah was the last to get out. She stared at her reflection in the side-view mirror. She looked at the outline of her face. Blotches of dirt combined with her tears smeared her face like mascara. It was the last thing she wanted to do. She knew it was the right thing to do, but a small part of her did not want them to leave. Apart of her soul needed them to stay.

She stepped out and took a deep breath.

"It was nice getting to know you, Sarah," Justin said giving her a hug. She embraced him as new tears began to fall again. "I forgive anything you ever put me through."

He left with his head down.

Casey stood next in line.

Sarah wiped her eyes.

"Sarah, I just want to say that I don't hate you. I just disagreed with your decision to leave Alec behind."

There was a brief pause as Sarah thought of the next thing to say. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I'm gonna find him," Casey sternly stated. "I have to."

"You have to," Sarah repeated. "I guess you do."

"Well… I guess this is good-bye."

"I guess it is."

Casey nervously gave her a hug. At first she hung limply in her arms, but soon she gave Sarah a real hug. They had been through a lot. And through all of that, Casey knew how hard it must be for Sarah to begin her journey alone. Sarah appreciated the gesture. The high school junior gave a smile before she turned to leave.

"Casey, wait."

She stopped.

"You can't be afraid to use your powers."

"I'm not afraid-"

"You can't be afraid to use your powers," she said again. "If you're going to find Alec, you're going to have to have to learn how to use your abilities. He's probably in jail by now and if you're going to break him out you can't be hesitant. Use your powers."

She nodded her head.

"Learn to use them."

"Okay. I will."

And she left to join Justin.

Mike slowly walked up, hands in pocket and a solemn expression on his face.

"Mike, I'm sorry for everything I put you through recently."

"I forgive you," he said. He smiled and shook his head. "Just don't bring anybody into your troubles again. You need to learn how to solve your own problems, Sarah. Bringing in others will only cause more pain…"

Mike spoke, but his words did not register in Sarah's mind. She looked at him, thoughts piercing her temples, telling her to say what she wanted to say. The words were on the tip of her tongue, ready to jump off, but something inside her told her not to. Sarah wanted to ask Mike if he would stay with her, if he would stay with her as she ran. It was a selfish question to ask. And she knew it was. But she feared being alone.

Fear overtook her sense of nobility.

"Please come with me," She blurted out. She had to say it. She would never have another chance.

"What?"

"I can't do this on my own, Mike. I need someone with me." It was desperate. But she only spoke the truth.

"Sarah, I-"

"Please! Casey and Justin can take care of your children."

"I'm not gonna-"

"Mike," Sarah pleaded. "I can't do this by myself."

He looked back at his children who waited patiently next to Casey. "Sarah," he began. "I – I can't. My children need me."

Sarah grabbed him by the shoulders. Desperation. "I know that I'm being completely selfish but… but I can't do this by myself. Please." She looked deep into his eyes, trying to appeal to the good person that she knew he was. "Please."

Mike looked back. He opened his mouth to say no but he couldn't. Defeated by his own kindness, he nodded his head slowly. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll come with you. I can take you to Cape May in Delaware. There's a ferry that can take you further south." He pointed his finger. "But that's as far as I'll take you. From then on, you're on your own."

She hugged him. "Thank you! I know how hard this must be for you."

Mike nodded his head and walked over to his children to explain what was happening. Sarah waited by the car, anxiously awaiting Mike's return. Her hand met her eye, wiping away the final tear. It was a desperate act, an act that she wasn't proud of at that moment. But she knew that she wasn't going to be alone. And that's what she feared the most.

The whiteness of the sky fell upon her head. A strong current of air blew past her face causing her to wrap her arms around her body. The cold winter winds sifted pass her, through the air and up into the sky, meeting the moon's bright light. The once strong current went higher and higher until it dissipated into nothingness; the farther it went, the less powerful it got until finally it died. The chilly weather of winter was not kind. It knew only darkness. It knew only cold.

Mike started the car. Sarah went back into the front seat. She looked at rear view mirror, watching the four people walk away from her life. "Where are they going? Why are they walking?" She asked.

"I saw a Starlight Diner not too far back. They'll wait for me there."

A low rumbling sparked the car to life as the ignition started. The windshield wipers coursed back and forth gently wiping away the flurries of frozen water. And then they were gone. Down the road towards their destiny.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	37. Rush

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. In search of the meaning of their lives and in conquest over their abilities, these ordinary people have had to make hard decisions. Alec Lions chose to stay in prison to account for his sins. Sarah Walker departed from the people she cared about. David Donner joined forces with The Rogue Agent to save a friend. The story continues…

And the training begins.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE "RUSH"

(The Safe House)

David walked down the white hallway. Jessica held his hand and walked with him. Will and Dawn brought up the rear end. Their footsteps made alternating taps that softly resonated into their ears when they walked against the cool white tile. He took a deep breath. It calmed him slightly. There was something about following the man known as Scott Martin, the Rogue Agent. David still didn't trust him completely, but he needed to find Wayne, and he was willing to form an alliance to do that.

"I've never been down this hallway before," commented Dawn.

Scott stopped at the end of the hall where there was a white wall, exactly the same as every other wall in The Safe House. "I've only taken those who are worthy to this place."

He pressed a button, opening a doorway, and extended his arm to show them the way.

(Alec Lions – U.S Maximum Security Prison)

Alec sat on his bed, watching Tyler perform the same morning ritual he did for the last two days. The inmate went into the corner and took a good five minutes staring at the wall. Then he would stand on his hands, back pressed up against the wall, and did two sets of fifteen push ups upside-down, after which he went back onto his bed and waited for breakfast.

"So what exactly do you do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your eyes glowed. What does that mean?"

Tyler laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know, _Lions_?"

Alec got up and placed his hands on the top bunk. "I would, Tyler. I would like to know."

He swung his legs over the side of the bed. There was a brief pause as the man decided whether or not to tell him. He gave a hesitant look at the young and curious man before turning his head to the far wall. His eyes glowed red once again and two tiny red lines shot out, burning two small holes into wall opposite.

Alec's jaw dropped.

"As you can see, nobody messes with a guy who can burn holes into their brains."

"You're – you're special too," he couldn't contain the excitement in his voice.

"Too? You mean, you're…?"

He nodded his head.

"Well…" Tyler grinned. "What can _you_ do?"

(Casey and Justin – New Jersey)

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"My feet hurt. Will you carry me?"

"No."

Danny playfully pranced around the tired and disgruntled Justin. Like many young boys at that age, they would like nothing better than to annoy him. Casey silently walked next to Tara, who became enthralled into it as well. They walked side by side, not saying much, behind the two boys, who were louder than usual.

"So what're we gonna do now, huh?"

"I don't know."

"When's my dad coming back?"

"I don't know."

"Are you-"

"I don't know! God, will just shut up for a few seconds?!"

The young boy stopped prancing in place. He glared at Justin. He was about to say something defiant when an angry glare was directed back. Danny closed his mouth and began walking again.

Casey quickened her pace to catch up. "Justin… what's wrong with you?"

He shook his head, shaking the question off.

"I know something's wrong. You don't normally act this way."

He sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Casey. I – I don't know." He threw his hands up, obviously tired of keeping what he wanted to say inside. "It seems like ever since Alec got left behind I've been on edge."

"Oh."

"I mean," he paused. Shaking his head and sighing once more obviously frustrated out of his mind. "Nevermind! I don't even know what I'm saying."

"No, Justin, I know what you mean."

"That makes one of us."

"Alec is gone and now Sarah is gone. You don't know what to do now."

"Plus," he added with an irritated edge to his voice. "We have to baby-sit those two."

Casey laughed. "Tara's not _that_ bad."

"I was talking about Danny."

She laughed and they continued down the road with the two youngsters behind them, slowly swaying back and forth as their feet took them closer and closer to the Starlight Diner.

* * *

"This is so exciting."

Dawn stood in line, shoulder to shoulder, with the three other people who, over he last couple of days, she got to know and even appreciate. Happily she peeked at the stern expressions of each person. She smiled from ear to ear, trying to get the same reaction from the other. When no one would smile back, she pouted her lip and repositioned herself in line.

Scott Martin, the former Rogue Agent, stood in front of them. A raised eyebrow, squinted eyes, and a powerful voice that echoed in the hollow white room gave an awesome presence. David, Jessica, Dawn, and Will. They were under his tutelage. His words were reminiscent of a sensei, churning their emotions, manipulating their mind so that they believed what he believed.

His posture was erect to show them that he was now in charge. He relished the idea. Scott laughed on the inside. He was back in charge and things were going to go correctly this time. Silence was going to pay. And maybe, along the way, he would meet up with a certain James Lee. There was revenge in his heart. Anger burned into his eyes.

"Dawn! Are you listening to me?" Scott asked rather harshly.

She straightened her posture. "Sorry, Sir." A proper salute in a humorous fashion didn't help the man's temper.

"Is this a joke to you?"

"Uh…no, Sir."

"Do you realize that we, the five of us, are the only ones now that can stop Silence? They have done terrible things. Atrocities that I don't even want to speak of." He narrowed his eyes and looked into the face of each person. "We are the only ones left to bring down Silence."

David coughed into his enclosed fist to remind Scott of the other reason why they were there.

"Oh, right," Scott said getting the hint. "And we are the only ones left that can save Wayne Rockwell from the clutches of Silence!"

Dawn leaned over to Will. "He's kind of like a cartoon character, huh?"

"What?"

"He said 'clutches'. No one says that anymore."

Will chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?!" Scott yelled.

Will composed himself, a small smile squirming in the corner of his lips. "No reason, Sir. Carry on."

"All right." Scott took a few steps backward and crossed his arms. His eyes drifted back and forth over his new team. He was going to teach them all that he knew: martial arts and combat, weapons and tactics, and the complete control of one's ability. They needed to be prepared to face Silence. And they didn't have a lot of time to do it. After a confident nod of his head, he clasped his hands together. "Let's get to it then. David, you're first."

* * *

Tyler paced from one end of the room and back again. His right hand was clenched into a fist, placed behind his back while his left hand freely stroked the hair on his chin. He was in deep thought. Ever since Alec had told him about his certain ability, the inmate walked back and forth pondering about something. Alec sat on his bottom bunk, slowly moving his eyes as the man roved around the room.

"Okay," Tyler said finally. His finger pointed towards the ceiling to show that he had an idea that he wanted to convey. "I say we break out a little early."

"We?"

"I don't see why not," he began to pace once again. "We both know that you're innocent anyway, so, you'll be getting the freedom you want, and I'll… I'll probably get my money back from that two-timing son of a-"

"Wait!" Alec stood up. "You just want to leave? We're in a maximum-security prison! There's guards everywhere!"

Tyler grinned. "Trust me, Lions. I've been in and out of here more than once. I know what to do."

"That's right. I still don't understand why they keep bringing you back here. If you've escaped more than once, why-"

"They don't know it's me that starts it." He placed his hand on Alec's shoulder. "Trust me, Lions. I know what I'm doing."

Alec stood still. He didn't know what to do. He honestly did not know how to respond. He already made a conscious decision to stay in prison to pay for his acts as a criminal, even if a maximum-security prison was a bit harsh. But now he had a way to leave. It was staring him right in the face. Tyler presented something he never got a chance to think about.

Freedom.

He slowly nodded his head, a slow smile creeping onto his lips. "Okay."

* * *

"Attack me!"

Jessica threw a punch, but Scott blocked it, expertly twisted her body around and kicking her to the ground.

"Jessica," he shook his head. "You can't be afraid to hit somebody. You have to be willing to attack."

She got up, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "I just don't understand why I have to be a fighter when I heal. Why can't I be the person who stands back and if someone is hurt I can go in and heal them."

"What happens if an enemy attacks you? Silence is not going to hold back anything just because you're the medic."

"Well, I can hurt people too. All I have to do want his heart to stop and then his heart will stop."

Scott smiled. "I like that. Stopping his heart, that's a creative use of your powers." He shrugged his shoulders and motioned for her to go back in line. "Okay, Jessica, you can be the medic. But you have to watch over everyone – if someone is in need of assistance, you go running. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

Dawn raised her hand. "It's my turn, Scott."

Scott nodded his head and she took her place in front of him. She winked at the spectators before taking a fighting stance. A joyous smile never left her face. "This is so exciting."

"Dawn, I want you to attack me using the techniques I taught you. Don't hold back… 'Cause I won't."

She nodded her head. Her hands clenched tighter into fists. Her feet moved beneath her, encircling the man she needed to attack. With a quick exhale she moved in, swinging her arm to his head.

Scott ducked, bringing his arm up for an uppercut, but Dawn parried the attack, deftly moving out of the way and attacking again.

She moved around him, punching as hard as she could, dodging the attacks she knew she could evade and blocking the ones she knew wouldn't hurt. But Scott was relentless. His attacks became more vicious. Quicker. Faster.

He punched and she blocked, exposing her stomach.

She noticed her mistake. So did he.

He spun around to kick her to the floor, but Dawn grabbed his wrist and transferred herself into him.

David was taken aback. "What… what just happened?"

Dawn, in Scott's body, smiled. "I possessed him so that I wouldn't get kicked. Pretty smart, huh?"

"Maybe you should leave him now."

"Right." She closed her eyes and reappeared next to him.

Scott fell to his knees, taking deep breaths, calming his mind from the transfer. Slowly, he brought himself up to his feet. He looked at her. "Very good, Dawn. Adaptation. Improvisation. Using your powers during a fight. You learn fast."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Let that be a lesson to all of you: Learn how to blend these techniques with your abilities. You'll become a greater adversary and a harder opponent." He pointed to Will. "You're next."

* * *

The Starlight Diner was a small restaurant for wanderers, for anybody who was running away or journeying could go to the Starlight Diner and find the solace needed for their tired feet. It was small, yet it always seemed to get filled with lowlife runaways or on-the-run criminals. Sometimes small mobs and gangs would congregate their plan their next hit. Of course, it had its share of people who just needed a quick pit stop. It was secluded, yet somehow, everybody knew about the Starlight Diner.

This is where Mike told his children to wait for him. This is where Casey and Justin waited for him.

Tara and Danny took a seat in a booth in the far right corner. Casey sat next to Tara on one side while Justin sat with Danny on the other. They didn't say a word to each other once they set foot on the cool, striped linoleum tile. They just kept their heads down until they found a place to sit.

Justin held his numb hands together and took a glance around. The diner was relatively empty. A single waitress stood behind the counter, tentatively wiping the counter with a dirty rag. A large man in a nice black suit with silver pin stripes sat at the bar chatting with the waitress. He had large hands that were covered with large rings of various sizes. Justin drew his attention back to the three other people with him and sighed.

* * *

Scott strode in front of them, arms held behind his back and head tilted slightly towards the sky. His fingers rested within his palms, tightening slightly as he passed by his soldiers. Every now and then, his hand would twirl above his head and or move forward to express a certain gesture to reinforce what he was saying.

"Every ability works like a bodily function. Some are voluntary and others are involuntary. The involuntary aspect is simple: your power is always on."

David crossed his arms and coolly breathed through his nose. The training was fierce, but he could handle it. Jessica closed her eyes and healed her body so that she wasn't fatigued from the rigorous action. Will held his hips, sweat dripping from his forehead down to his foot, splashing like a tiny raindrop from the sky. Dawn happily grinned. She was enjoying every second of it.

"Take _your_ abilities for example, Mr. Lawson."

Will stood to attention.

"You told me that you can fly, you have superhuman strength-"

"Don't forget that bullets can't hurt you," Dawn butted in. They looked at her. She shrugged. "When I was possessing his body, bullets couldn't hurt me."

Scott continued. "You have a variety of powers that centralize around physical attributes." He looked directly into the man's eyes. "You exhibit the what is known as _Tactile Telekinesis_."

"What is that?"

"You have a telekinetic force-field that surrounds your body as a protective shield. It allows you to perform all of your different feats: strength, flight, and invulnerability. Telekinesis is the ability to move objects of various sizes and weight with the mind. _Tactile_ telekinesis is the ability to move things with the physical touch by extending your telekinetic field around that object and picking it up. The concept applies to your flight and invulnerability."

Will chuckled. "Well, I guess I should thank you for telling me the name of my power. But I kind of figured out everything else by using it."

Scott only chuckled. He pulled out his gun and fired.

The ex-janitor did not flinch.

The bullet bounced off of Will's body and fell to the ground.

"You see?" he dropped the gun. "Physical attacks don't harm you. But this?" Scott gently placed his hands on the man's shoulders. "This is really going to hurt."

A chain of electricity ripped past the telekinetic shield around Will's body and into his skin. The quick jolt of high voltage knocked him back into the wall. Smoke trailed off of his shoulders where his skin was burned from the shock.

David grabbed Scott's arm and twisted. "What the hell was that?!"

An odd grin formed on his face. "He needs to know his weakness so that he knows what to avoid in the future. He's strong against physical attacks, but extremely weak against energy."

Jessica quickly rushed to his body, releasing her healing abilities onto his electrified skin.

He coughed. "You could've just told me."

"No. You needed to understand." He pulled his arm away from David's grasp. He kneeled down onto one knee. He faced his pupil. "You know how it feels to experience pain now. You know what it feels like to hurt. When we go up against Silence, you'll need to be ready to elude any attacks that can harm you. That is a vital lesson: Learn your weaknesses. Understand them so that you can better prepare yourself to endure the pain or avoid it."

Will spit on the floor. He slowly got up, glaring angrily as his mentor stood back up and resumed his position in front of the line.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Casey asked him.

"Nothing," he replied. "Why?"

"You looked… worried."

Justin sighed. He glanced at Danny and Tara who were busy trying to make a saltshaker stand on its bottom edge. He sighed once again, lowering his voice to just above a whisper. "I am worried, Casey. I – I'm worried about them. I'm worried about me… or us."

"What do you mean?"

"What if Mike doesn't come back?"

"He'll come back."

"What if he doesn't?" Justin shot back. "That means these kids are our responsibility. _I_ don't have any money. I am in no position to take care of some-" he realized that his voice was rising. He grimaced as he looked at Danny and Tara. They were not paying attention to what he was saying. Quickly he went back to his conversation. "I can't take care of them."

"You're thinking too hard."

"Am I?"

"Yeah, you are," Casey nodded her head.

He sat back and crossed his arms. "Well, let's say Mike does come back. What about us? You? Me? Are we just going to go back to our normal lives in New York? How are we going to get there? How can we forget about Alec? What-"

"Justin!" she had to interrupt him. "Calm down, okay?"

He looked down at his hands. They were still cold and numb. He didn't even know why they were like that. The chatter of the man in the suit and the waitress could be heard again now that nobody was talking. A silence filled Justin's mind. He couldn't think.

The young woman pushed a stray bang of blonde hair behind her ear. "Justin, I don't want to make things worse on you right now, but I've already decided what I'm going to do once Mike takes his kids back."

He looked up. "What?" the monotony of his voice carried little enthusiasm.

"I'm going to find out where Alec is and I'm going to save him."

"What?" he was a little bit more interested.

"I'm positive that he's in some jail cell somewhere in Washington. Once I find out where he is, I'm going to break him out."

"We'll need money," he whispered to himself.

"What?"

"If we're going to save Alec we'll need money to get around…"

"Wait, I was talking about myself-"

"I should ask if they're hiring here," he got up.

"Justin, wait!" Casey tried to stop him, but he was already walking to the waitress.

He took a seat at the bar next to the man in the suit. "Excuse me, Miss?"

She turned to him.

"I was wondering if you-"

"No, we're not hiring."

"Oh."

"Sorry, kid." She threw the dirty rag over her shoulder and walked through a door into the kitchen.

"Damn," he said.

"Need some money?"

Justin looked at the man in the suit. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah. Do you need some money?"

"Yeah, actually, I do."

"I have a job that you can do. It's a one-time deal, a thousand dollars. Interested?"

"Yeah! What do I do?"

"I'll explain it to you on the way, but you'll do it?"

"Heck yes!"

"Then follow me."

"Our lives are like the roads we travel on. Ever twisting. Ever turning. In a direction that we cannot see. We have to know where we're going if we want a purpose. Every turn that we make makes a difference. Every decision in our lives changes our destination. But when we rush to an end that we cannot see, what will be the outcome? What dangers are in our way? There is no way of knowing. Unless we take that road." – Mohinder Suresh

Scott grinned as he watched over the progress of his new pupils. Their powers were starting to get controlled. Their hand-to-hand combat was strong and organized. They looked like the team that he once had. The training was almost complete. And they were coming closer to their goal.

* * *

Alec lay on his back, looking at the bottom of the top bunk where Tyler resided. His mind focused on the sweet sound of the word: freedom. It echoed in his mind like a wonderful melody. He was going to escape. And he was glad that he had someone like Tyler to help him do it.

* * *

Justin shook the hand of the man in the suit, solidifying their agreement. There was plenty of doubt in his mind about whether or not he was making the right choice. But there were so many possibilities and questions that were left unanswered that he needed to pick a route and see where it took him.

Casey hung her head and sighed.

Tara glanced back just in time to see the young man leave with the man in the suit. "Where's Justin going?"

She shook her head. "I don't know… But I hope he isn't doing anything stupid."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	38. Trouble

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. These persons with amazing gifts must learn to account for their actions and learn from their mistakes. Alec Lions has a chance for freedom. Sarah White has a chance for redemption. They each must make a choice and live with the consequences.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR "TROUBLE"

"Humans beings want to do what's right. We know what's right. We understand what's not. But sometimes we give into human nature. Sometimes, we get caught up in what it means to be human. Somehow we come back. We feel guilt, a sense of shame and remorse that makes us want to right the wrong. But what if the damage is done? What if we give into our imperfection and all we are left is guilt? Will we pull through? Can we?" – Mohinder Suresh

The cell had an ominous silence as the two inmates waited for the right time. The right time for escape. Alec could not stay still. His eyes shifted constantly from Tyler to the door and back again. Tyler, on the other hand, was calm. Nonchalant. He had escaped from prison on more than one occasion, and this one wasn't any different.

(Alec and Tyler – U.S Maximum Security Prison)

"What time is it?" Alec asked.

"Don't worry about it."

"Well, is it almost time?"

"Don't worry about it, Lions. You'll know when it's time."

Alec sighed, grunting in annoyance and standing up quickly. Physically he was prepared. No one could touch him when he was going at high speeds, so there was no worry about getting shot by guards. But mentally, he was still conflicted. What _would_ happen if he escaped? He'd still be a wanted criminal, that wouldn't change. But he'd be free. He could find Casey. Still, he didn't know where she was, or how to find her.

He sighed again and slammed his fist against the wall.

"Whoa, calm down there, Lions. Save that energy for the guards."

"I've got enough energy. If I want to punch the wall, I'll punch the wall."

"Suit yourself."

Alec spat on the floor. "How can you be so calm right now?!"

He looked up at his young friend and grinned. "Why do you ask stupid questions?"

"Damn it!" Alec punched the wall again.

Tyler stood up; his voice had a little bit of edge. "You're not having second thoughts are you?"

"Maybe…"

"No, you said you were ready."

"I am."

Tyler suddenly rushed to the door. He strained to hear something. After a brief pause he turned to Alec and smiled. "Well, I guess we'll find out."

"Why?"

"It's time."

(Sarah and Mike – Newark, New Jersey)

The van silently moved across the icy road. Little yellow lines hidden beneath blankets of white slipped passed the tires, creating a blur of white and yellow mixed with the dirty blacktop of the street. They were on the outskirts of Newark, going farther and farther away from Mike's children, but going closer and closer to Sarah's destination. The only problem was that she didn't know where she wanted to go.

Sarah had kept silent for the majority of the ride thus far. There was a lot on her mind and she needed to clear her head. Every thought brought more guilt into her heart. She felt guilty for letting Alec go. She felt guilty for making Mike leave his children. His words pierced her like knives, but they were true. She _was_ selfish.

"So, where are we going again?" She asked in a soft voice.

"_I_ am going to take _you_ to Denmark. Wherever _you_ want to go from there is up to _you_."

"Right… you're not coming with me."

"I need to go back with my children."

She nodded her head quietly.

He sighed. "I don't even know why I left them in the first place. I should've stayed with them. You can deal with your own problems."

"That hurts my feelings, Mike. It really does."

He looked at her for a split second before turning back to the road ahead. "Sorry, Sarah. I just – I love them."

"I know you do."

"And I barely know you."

"I know."

"But… for some reason, the Good Samaritan in me told me to help you out just this once."

"And I thank you for that."

"I just," he paused. His knuckles became white as he clenched his fists over the steering wheel. He was tense. His body language told her that, so she remained quiet, allowing the man express what he wanted to say. He sighed out of frustration again. "I just wish you could turn yourself in."

"I… I can't do that. I'm too much of a… a coward."

"Oh yeah," he said sarcastically. "You're a coward. I'd like to tell that to those SWAT officers who you beat up back at my house. A coward would've run away from a fight like that in a heart beat."

"That's different," Sarah retaliated. "I have these amazing abilities that don't make me fear fights like that."

"Then why do you run? Why are you a coward?"

"Because I'm afraid of taking responsibility."

Her words shot out of her mouth instantly to his question. It hung in the air. It was the recycled air that they breathed. She nodded her head after saying it, affirming that it was what she wanted to say. Mike kept his eyes on the road, but he heard it. He didn't respond because there was nothing else to add.

Sarah was a coward.

Plain and simple.

"You called me selfish before. And you're absolutely right. I _am_ selfish. I bring people into my life and let them take the fall for my mistakes. I was running away and I brought Alec into it. Then when he gets captured I look the other way. I'm a fugitive and I brought you into it. I destroy your house and I have the nerve to ask you to leave your kids to help me out." She shook her head. "I don't deserve your help. I don't deserve _life_."

"Whoa now, that's a little extreme. Everyone deserves life."

Sarah did not respond.

"If you're alive, and you do your best to live a good life, then you deserve it. That's what my father always told me. Just because you have a personality flaw and you made a few mistakes doesn't mean you should go and take your own life."

"A personality flaw?! A _few_ mistakes?! Mike, Alec is in jail because of me! Your house is a pile of wood because of me!"

"Well, everything sounds bad when you say it with that attitude."

She shook her head.

"Look, all I'm trying to do is make you feel better. Just don't, you know… don't commit suicide. Okay? Look, I don't hate you for what you did. I'm angry at you. And I'm sure Alec doesn't hate you either. Nothing is worth what you're thinking right now. Okay? Sarah?"

Sarah buried her tear filled eyes into her hands. Her shoulders shook vigorously. Salty drops of water fell out of her eyes, staining her clothes with sorrow. She cried. The sounds of her sobs drowned out the sound of his words. Mike sat let her be. He drove down the road with his eyes straight ahead. There was nothing more he could do.

* * *

The guard tapped the door, telling the two inmates to line up against the wall with their backs facing him, like they did every time he gave them their dinner. Tyler winked at his accomplice as they obediently lined up where they had to.

Alec took a deep breath.

The guard opened the door.

Alec quickly sped away from the wall and rammed him into another.

Tyler shot the cameras. He turned around to see an unconscious guard and Alec standing over him. "Good work, Lions. I guess you were ready after all."

He stepped over the fallen body into the silver hallway of the prison followed closely by Alec. He turned a corner and put another guard unconscious. He glanced right and left, making sure that everything was clear. They crept down the hall past the other cells where other criminals resided, taking out sentries that stood in their way.

Alec looked at each door as they passed by. Inside were criminals who would never get to see daylight again.

He was getting the chance of a lifetime.

Bright rectangular light fixtures hung on the ceiling guiding the two men down the hallway. The corridor soon opened up to the larger section of the prison. There, at the balcony, were four stories full of occupied cells, filled with convicts. Murderers. Terrorists. The worst kind of criminals. Alec leaned on the railing of the upper circle to look at the large structure. He looked down. It went down for miles until the prison cells reached the bottom floor. He glanced down at the other stories. Armed guards and officers stood attention, looking out for anything out of the ordinary.

Two officers noticed him. They began to walk in his direction.

"Alec!" Tyler hissed. "Get your butt over here."

Alec gulped and rushed to his companion. "We got company."

"Well, that's why I have experience at stuff like this." He stopped by a wall of an assortment of switches and knobs. He stroked his mustache as his eyes roamed across each one. "Oh crap," he snapped his fingers. "I forgot the guard's key card. Could you go back-"

"And get it?" Alec finished the sentence.

Tyler turned around.

Alec held the guard's key card between his fingers.

"You're a lot faster than I thought. Good work. Hold them off for a few seconds will ya?"

Alec turned around. The guards were getting closer. "Uh… what? Hold them off?"

Tyler swiped the key card across a black pad, changing the red light to a green one, allowing him access to each button, knob or switch on the board. He deviously rubbed his hands together before pulling the first switch.

The lights shut off.

"Was that on purpose?" Alec asked.

"Oh yeah." Nothing but malicious glee on his tongue.

A loud crack echoed through out the hall as the lights turned back on. Alec turned around. Similar sounds of opening doors resonated throughout the entire prison.

"You just released the other prisoners."

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Distraction. You wanted to know why I never get caught. Well, they're always too busy with the other thousand guys in here to notice that the guy with laser vision started the whole thing." His eyes glowed. He turned to the shocked officers and shot them with his lasers. They fell back into the wall. He gestured with his hand. "Come on."

* * *

"Oh crap."

The van stopped in the middle of the road. It idled, engine rumbling, sitting amidst the white of the snow around it. Ten feet away was a police barricade. Several police cruisers were lined up with even more officers behind them, firearms ready. Mike held his breath. His eyes stared at the barrels of the guns. Sarah held her breath. Her eyes stared at the faces of the men that stood in her way of escape.

"Sarah White!" The Lieutenant said over a megaphone. "We know it's you, so make this easy for everyone and step out of the vehicle."

She clenched her fist.

Mike saw it. "Sarah," he placed a hand on her hand. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Ram it, Mike."

He shook his head. "No. I can't do that."

"Get out of the vehicle!" The Lieutenant commanded again.

"Ram it!"

"No!"

"Do it!"

"Sarah, think about what you're asking me to do. If we ram it, there are only two ways this can end: we don't make it and we get captured, or, we make it and we run for the rest of our lives. Either way, I lose."

She stared out at the barricade.

"But there's another way."

"I'm not doing it."

"Turn yourself in, Sarah! Stop running."

She clenched her hand into a fist again. Heavily she breathed out of her nose. She needed to make a decision quickly. There were a lot of officers in the blockade that were trigger-happy. She looked at the man's face. Into his eyes. Hers became teary again.

"Okay," she said, relief finally entering into her body. "Fine. I'll turn myself in."

He turned off the engine.

A sigh of relief escaped her lungs. She didn't know what she was relieved from, but she felt good. Sarah wiped her eyes and gave the man a hug. "Thank you, Mike. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for all the advice, and helping me even though we were strangers."

"You're welcome."

"I'll tell them that I kidnapped you so that you won't be tried as a criminal."

"Are you ready?"

She took one last glance at the barricade of police cars and police officers. She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath and opened the passenger door. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

Prisoners fought against guards. Bodies slammed against wall. Bones broke against the floor. The prisoners fought for revenge. For freedom. The guards fought for their life. There seemed to be more criminals, overflowing the prison and attacking anything that moved.

Tyler walked casually down a hall. He watched the chaos around him and laughed. It was too easy. All that was left to do was to escape. But he wanted to get a few kicks and punches in before he left.

He grabbed a nearby guard and threw him against the wall, viciously punching him in the gut before throwing him to the ground and stepping on his head over and over again. Alec watched. He kept his goal in mind. Freedom. He was going to be free. Anything that happened was for freedom.

They made their way across the grounds, finally leaving the disorder and pandemonium behind them. There was a small hallway that led to a dead end, but it was exactly where Tyler wanted to go.

He turned towards his cohort and smiled, eyes burning the powerful red. "Time to turn up the juice." He faced the wall. A large blast of energy exploded from his eyes, punching a large hole in through the concrete. The red haze disappeared, but the smile remained. "And through door number one: freedom."

Alec took a deep breath. He was inches away from it.

"Don't move!"

All eyes turned to an officer aiming his pistol at the escapees.

"Are you talking to me?" Tyler said walking towards the man.

"Don't move! I will put a bullet in your head!"

His eyes began to glow again.

He slowly lowered the gun upon seeing the ominous haze enveloping the inmate's eyes. "Uh… what the – d-don't come any closer. I mean it! I'll-"

A blaze of scarlet energy enveloped his body.

The guard flew back into the wall, breaking his back.

Tyler grinned.

"Come on, Tyler," Alec beckoned. "He's down, let's go."

"Hold on, Lions."

He picked up the man. He smiled at the scared face and peered into the horrified pupils. He let the fear crawl through his body before he burned two holes into his brain.

Alec was still. He couldn't move. Alec looked on in complete horror. The guard's body fell to the ground with a clump. He turned away disgusted. For the first time since he met Tyler, he hated him. He hated him now.

The inmate tapped him on the shoulder. "Now we can go."

Alec shook his head. "No. No, I'm not going with you anymore."

"Okay." His apathy was unbearable.

He pointed at the guard's body. "You just killed that man out of cold blood! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"

Tyler shrugged. "He had it coming anyway."

"How can you be this way?! You didn't have to kill him!"

"What are you whining about? He was in my way, so I took care of it."

"That man might've had a family!"

"So? It's not your family."

"Freedom _is not_ worth the lives of innocent people. Nothing is worth the lives of innocent people. _You_ deserve to be in here. _I_ deserve to be in here." He took a deep breath. "I've changed my mind. We can't leave."

"I can. If you want to stay that's your business."

"I'm staying. I'm staying for the man that I watched you kill. I'm just as guilty because I didn't do anything to stop you." He glared into the eyes of the inmate in front of him. He bared his teeth and stepped closer. "Murderer."

Tyler shrugged nonchalantly once again. "Suit yourself, Lions. I'm gonna take a night out on the town. Maybe I'll paint it red… like the blood of that guard over there." And with that he was gone.

Alec stood in front of the gaping hole. Alone. He turned away, frightened and scared because he didn't know what else to do. The cries of the rioting prisoners being put into submission came into the hallway. It crept into his ears. It was disturbing to hear their pain. He looked down at the dead body. He shook his head in a grievance for the man before speeding back to his cell. He closed the door, hoping no one would come inside.

There, he sat in the corner, rocking back and forth, waiting for the pain and death to end.

* * *

Sarah took her steps with caution. Her fingers were cold. Her palms were sweaty. Her leg shivered and her lips were dry. The cold air that blew with the white breeze of the snow breathed on her face. She took long slow breaths. Each one slower than the first.

She strained to look past the bright lights that were directed at her, at the faces of the officers that aimed their weapons at her. She wanted to look at them because she hated anonymity. Sarah hated not knowing, and at that moment, she didn't know why she was walking towards them.

Sarah knew that her decision to turn herself in was right. It was the correct choice. But even the knowledge of doing the right thing didn't fill her with happiness or joy. It filled her with fear. She still wanted to run. Her heart still wanted freedom.

She lifted her arms. "I'm turning myself in!"

"Come closer. No sudden movements."

She took a step closer.

Mike followed beside her.

"I can't do this," she whispered to him.

"Yes, you can."

"I can't turn myself in, Mike. I'm scared."

"You can do it, Sarah. I believe in you." He grabbed her shoulder to reaffirm his last statement.

A gun shot.

Mike fell.

Sarah stood still. Shocked. Unable to move.

His body squirmed. His voice cracked.

She kneeled down and cradled his body. "Mike! Oh my God! Mike!"

The Lieutenant's voice shot across the wind. "Don't move, damn it!"

Her vision became blurry with mourning. Her eyes became wet with tears.

"You still have a choice, Sarah," he whispered. "Make the right one."

He managed to smile before his let out his last breath. The smile remained, but Mike was gone. His eyes were still open. A blank stare. There was no more life. No more humanity in his soul. He was dead.

Sarah remained still. She was in shock. Her eyes dried. Her body was cold. She didn't know what to do except hold onto his body and look into his blank eyes.

"We're sending in two men to escort you, Sarah. Don't make any sudden movements."

Finally the tears fell. She held onto his body, gently rocking back and forth, tears falling like raindrops on a rainy day. They ran down her cheek, falling upon the man's face, creating a puddle of sadness. Of grief. Of pain. Of anger.

"Put your hands up," an officer said.

She lowered her head and raised her arms. Handcuffs went around her wrists and the two escorts brought her to the barricade. She kept her head down until she heard a rifle click. Someone had reloaded their weapon. She looked up. She searched for the person who had reloaded their weapon.

Sarah stopped walking. "Who did that? Who reloaded?"

An officer took a step forward. "Me."

"You killed him. You killed him, didn't you?!"

"He was going to pull out a weapon."

"He was trying to calm me down, you idiot!" She lifted her arms and broke the metallic restraints around her wrists. Pushing the escorts away from her, she lunged at the officer who had shot Mike. She grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Increasing her density. Increasing her strength.

Bullets fired from all directions.

Quickly she decreased the density. The bullets passed through her but pierced the officer from head to toe. She looked at him jerk back and forth as the silver projectiles broke the skin. His suit was stained with blood by the time the other officers stopped firing.

"Shoot her!" someone commanded.

Sarah was mad. She was enraged. Mike was innocent. All he wanted to do was guide her down the right path. He wanted to help her see that running away from her fears was wrong. But now he was dead. He was a good person. A loving father. A caring friend. An innocent person. And he was dead.

Life wasn't fair.

She deserved the bullet.

But he was the one who got shot.

And now she was mad.

Sarah grabbed the nearest body and flung it at a car.

She pummeled faces with incredible strength. Breaking bones. Crushing skulls. She yelled and screamed. Wept and cried. Anything to try and relief the excruciating pain that she felt. Her grief fueled her anger. Her anger fueled her rage and she fought every single police officer there.

An officer came in to attack but she punched him into somebody else. Sarah spun around, punching another officer in the head. They tried to gang up on her and attack at the same time, but she fought with ferocity. No one stood a chance against her.

Officers died that day. If they weren't killed by her fury, they were brutally injured.

Sarah fell upon her hands and knees and cried after the brutality was over. The pain she felt was guilt. An overwhelming sense of remorse over her failure to Mike. Her hot tears broke through the snow. Stung the air. Her hot tears. They wouldn't stop falling.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	39. The Ticking of Clocks Part One

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. They were given powers, but they never found a purpose. Incredible abilities have helped them fight for what they believe in, and now they must fight to fulfill what they were meant to do: save the world. But with an unforeseen apocalyptic clock minutes from midnight, can the ordinary people do their part? Or will the future happen as it was planned to occur?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE "THE TICKING OF CLOCKS – PART ONE"

"Are our lives predestined? Is every action just the movements of something higher? Or do we have a choice? Is destiny what _we_ want it to be? If the future _is not_ written in stone, and if we have the power to change it, will we? If the future _is_ bound by fate, and every attempt to change it futile, what hope is there for the world?" – Mohinder Suresh

(Sarah White – Newark, New Jersey)

She stood up. Death and pain reigned around her feet. Her eyes were wet. Her hands were cold. She trembled with fear. Nervously, she looked about the mess that she created. There was an odd sensation in her stomach. She felt sick, and the more she looked at the chaos that she caused, the more the feeling gripped her stomach.

"Oh my God," she repeated to herself.

Sarah held her arms as the snow and icy winds came in on the current of winter. She shivered. She had to get out of there. She had to get away. She turned, but her eyes fell upon the unmovable body of her friend. Her stomach twisted again.

As her feet slowly dragged across the white floor, her eyes fell upon the body of Mike. More tears fell. She moved towards him, apologizing to him for everything that she put him through. Every apology seemed hollow. Every apology she told him could not be forgiven. Gingerly she picked up his body and moved it to the side of the road, where she piled as many stones as she could find to make a memorial to the man who taught her not to run.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

She left the grave. She needed to get away. Searching the bodies of the fallen police officers for some keys, Sarah entered into an undamaged police cruiser and drove away. She looked back to see Mike's memorial. She bit her lip. And started to cry.

* * *

Justin stood nervously in front of the Starlight Diner with a complete stranger. He nervously looked at his surroundings. His eyes roamed about because he wasn't positive if he should be doing what he was doing. The stranger looked down at him and nodded his head, to which Justin gave a crooked smile.

"So, uh… what's your name?" he asked into the awkward silence.

"You can call me Hank."

"Okay," he said with a nod.

Hank looked at his watch. He grunted with dissatisfaction. Finally he turned to the young man to his right. "This is a simple job. I'm going to make a drop off and you're going to be the look out, ya got it?"

Justin moved his head up and down. "Yeah, I watch out for the police and if they come I warn you."

"Smart kid."

* * *

The moon slowly faded away into the darkness of the night sky. The evening was cold and dead. The snow stopped falling. The stars stopped blinking. Everything seemed to stop. A lone police cruiser parked in the empty lot of a Motel 6. It was covered in snow, covering the windows with a blanket of frozen water. Nothing was around it. The cruiser was absolutely alone. Outside of the vehicle it was icy, but inside it was a different story.

Sarah sat in the driver's seat. Her head leaned up against the cold glass of the window. Fear. Sadness. Guilt. It all rolled into one horrible feeling. It was indescribable, but all she wanted to do was cry. All she wanted to do was let all of her emotions out. But she was alone. There was no one to talk to. Like the car she was in, she had nothing to compliment her.

She was finally alone.

And it took the death of one of the kindest persons to do that. After running with people for so long, and fearing about being by herself, it was finally a reality. She was alone. Running from the law.

There seemed to be no one to turn to.

The only person she could think of was Anne Lara, her friend from the FBI.

She got out of the car and went to the nearest phone booth. The receiver hung on the hook of the phone, staring at the sorrowful woman. She held her breath. There was a little voice in the back of her mind that told her to do it, to call the one person who she could trust. But she didn't know what to say.

She picked up the receiver. Her fingers weakly pressed against the buttons. She dialed the number.

It rung.

"Hello?" said a tired and groggy voice.

Sarah held her breath.

"Who is this is? Bob? Is that you? I thought I told you not to call me-"

"Anne."

A pause. "Who is this?"

"It's… it's Sarah."

"Sarah? What… where are you?"

"I'm in… um, some trouble."

"Sarah you're a wanted fugitive."

"I know, I know." She held back her tears. "I need to talk to someone. Can you…"

"I shouldn't even be talking to you."

"Please, Anne," she begged. "I'm in Newark. I'm at a Motel 6. Please…"

A pause. Sarah closed her eyes. Silently she prayed that she would hear what she wanted to hear. She held her breath and waited for an answer.

"Tell me exactly where you are. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sarah blew a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Anne. Thank you so much."

* * *

A car approached. The dark sleek exterior contrasted the dark blue of the snowy evening. The tires slid against the dirt and sleet, making a low crunching sound when rubber met the ground. Justin tried to see the person inside, but the windows were tinted.

Hank nudged him. "Follow me."

Justin swallowed his anxiety and complied.

A man stepped out of the driver's side. He was a tall Caucasian man, with black hair that was slicked back with shiny gel. He wore a black suit with thin pin stripes down the material. His eyes were sullen, but angry, large circles hung underneath. His lips curled down at the corners. There was a sense of annoyance in his face as if he'd rather be somewhere else. Another man stepped out from the passenger seat. He wore dark glasses and a dark suit. Justin noticed that this man kept his hands in his pockets. It sent chills down his back.

"So," he began to say. He was still trying to loosen up his tense muscles. "You're gonna give me a thousand dollars, right?"

"If you do your job," he replied. "And I said five-hundred."

"No, I think you said a thousand-"

"I said 'five-hundred'."

Justin closed his mouth, afraid to argue any longer. He needed all the money he could get.

The two men from the car walked to the alley behind the Starlight Diner. Hank and Justin followed closely behind. The young man kept his head down. He didn't want to get caught up in whatever they were doing. All he wanted to do was get the money and get out of there.

Hank told Justin to wait at the corner while he conducted his business in the alley. He obeyed and leaned up against the wall. He crossed his arms, taking a quick glance at the street before turning to the gangsters to watch their transaction. Crouching onto his hands and knees, he hid behind some crates and boxes so they wouldn't see him watching them.

"Are you ready?" Hank said. "You got the money, Robby?"

"You got what we want?" said the man in the pin-stripe suit.

"I got it."

"Then show it to me."

* * *

A soft knocking on the snow covered window.

Sarah opened the door, just a crack. Anne stood nearby, body draped in a large overcoat, head snug underneath a beanie cap, and hands tucked tightly in the pockets. Sarah heaved a sigh and allowed her to get inside.

Anne put her hands on her lap. She looked at Sarah and smiled.

"Thanks."

"What are friends for?"

The ex-FBI agent chuckled and sat back into her chair. "Am I glad to see you."

"You're laughing."

"So?"

"I know you. What's wrong?" She paused. "Well, besides being on the run from the law."

Her face became grim. "Where do I begin?"

"Maybe you should start from the beginning. Why did you do it, Sarah? Why did you suddenly change your mind and help Alec Lions?"

"It's complicated."

"You have better have a good reason."

Sarah shook her head. "It's complicated… I mean… the boy was special and I had to protect him."

"Special? Mentally?"

"No," she covered her face with her palms. Her body shook. "No, not like that… he's – he's like me. Me and him – we're… special. We both have…" she sighed and decreased her density, passing her fingers through the steering wheel of the police car.

Anne's eyes got larger. She moved closer to the door and farther away from the bizarre. "What… what are you?"

"I don't know. But he's like me. He has special abilities too. That's why he was stealing from those banks. His father was taking advantage of his power, he was innocent." Sarah saw the fear in her friend's eyes. "I'm still the same person. I just made a decision to protect someone who was like me. I was protecting us from danger."

"Well you didn't do very well. Alec Lions was apprehended not too long ago."

"Don't remind me," she sneered. Her eyes became watery again. "And it's all my fault, Anne! I had a friend but I let him get captured. Who knows what they'll do to him once they find out his gifts?! If anything terrible happens to him, I'm to blame. Every time I do something because I think it's the right choice, it goes horribly wrong!" She slammed her fists against the steering wheel. She yelled curses before settling back down into her chair. "Like what happened to Mike."

"Who's Mike?"

"He was an innocent person who I dragged into my mess. I saved his children and he gave me a place to stay for the night. But now he's dead. He died because of me. His children are now orphans because of me!" She broke down again. She needed to let out her emotions. She needed to tell someone about her troubles. She was happy that Anne was there to listen. "Alec is in jail, Mike is dead, his children are all alone and I'm still running from the law. Nothing is going right in my life."

Her friend slowly let down her defense. She saw her friend in pain. "Sarah," she said. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I really am. I may not understand what you're going through, but no one should have to endure what has happened to you. You're a brave, strong woman, Sarah, to put up with it all for so long."

Sarah looked up. She wiped her eyes. "Thanks, Anne," she replied between short breaths and sniffles. "Thanks."

She put a friendly arm over her shoulder. "Why don't you come back with me to my house? You can hide out there until we figure something out."

"Are you sure? You'd be risking your job if I do."

"Hey," she smiled. "What are friends for?"

* * *

Something grabbed his arm. Justin spun around as a hand covered his mouth. A police officer put his index finger against his lips to tell him to stay quiet. Behind him were two more officers, readying their weapons to move in. The officer slowly released his hand; his eyes darted towards the men in the concrete pathway. Justin understood. The officer turned to his partners and motioned for them to move in.

Meanwhile, the exchange was still taking place. Hank's strong voice echoed off the walls. "Hey!" he yelled from the alley. "What are you trying to pull?!"

Robby pulled out his gun. "Give it to me! Give it to me or you don't get-"

His voice stopped short.

Everyone turned to the sound.

The man in dark glasses lowered his pistol and Robby fell to the ground, a bullet in his brain. He pulled off his glasses and pulled out his badge. "Don't move, Hank."

The police officers moved in.

Hank slowly put his arms above his head.

The back doors to the gang leader's car shot open. Two other suited men stepped out, pulling out pistols from their holsters. They moved forward.

Justin backed away. Petrified.

He tried to keep an eye on the events unfolding in the alleyway, but he didn't want the two newcomers out of his sight either.

Everyone had a gun except him.

Everything happened so quickly.

Someone pulled a trigger.

Justin yelped. He turned to run and crashed into an open trash container.

One of the gangsters pointed his pistol at him but was shot in the shoulder.

The young man got onto his feet. He ran into the diner. "Get up! Get up!"

Casey jumped up. "What's going on? I heard gunshots. Were those gunshots?!"

"We have to get out of here!"

The screeching of tires.

Another bullet unloaded out of the barrel of a pistol.

"What's happening, Justin?"

"It doesn't matter." He pushed them towards the door. "We have to get the hell out of here now!"

They left the diner, racing as fast as they could down the road, away from the madness, away from the crime scene, away from his mistake. Casey held onto Danny's hand as they ran. Justin held onto Tara's wrist.

Casey looked at Justin.

He saw the disappointed expression in her eyes.

And they continued to run.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	40. The Ticking of Clocks Part Two

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. They were given powers, but they never found a purpose. Incredible abilities have helped them fight for what they believe in, and now they must fight to fulfill what they were meant to do: save the world. But with an unforeseen apocalyptic clock minutes from midnight, can the ordinary people do their part? Or will the future happen as it was planned to occur?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX "THE TICKING OF CLOCKS – PART TWO"

(The Safe House)

Inside The Safe House were five individuals. Each one trained vigorously in a small amount of time to fulfill their purpose. Whether or not they were prepared to fight the government and save a fellow evolved human was irrelevant to their leader. Scott had one goal in mind: Destroy Silence and any evidence of his lies. The others were pawns in his twisted game of revenge.

Jessica stood next to Dawn. They had grown closer during their time in The Safe House. Jessica felt sad for Dawn, and she knew someone like her needed a friend. Dawn just liked company. She enjoyed the company of Jessica.

"Scott said that we were going to leave pretty soon," Dawn mentioned.

"Yeah… are you scared?"

"Me?" she asked. She scoffed as if the thought of being scared was completely farfetched. "I'm not afraid of anything. I know he wouldn't kill me off. I mean, I am a main character. It's common sense that writers don't kill off the main character… well, maybe in Lost, but that's a different story."

Jessica sighed. "I wish I had your confidence."

"I wouldn't be worried. David is a good man. He'll protect you for sure."

"I know. It's still scary. I've never done anything like this for someone before."

"But we're not doing this just for Wayne. This is for evolved humans everywhere. There's already hate and fear against those of different race or skin color. Imagine how people will react when they find out that there are a selected few who have extraordinary powers. They'll be jealous. They'll be afraid. And that's when the government will jump in and eradicate us. They'll already know how to defeat us because they've already been studying us. And killing us… but if we destroy Silence, we can stop that from happening. We can be heroes."

Jessica smiled.

"Scott told me that we'll be heroes, Jessica, and I believe him."

"David doesn't trust him."

"Well, I've read some pretty weird stuff about him in earlier chapters, but they can't be true. We can trust that he's going to lead us well." She grinned and patted her friend on the back. "We're going to be heroes, Jessica. And I don't mind that at all."

* * *

Her feet slammed against the blacktop. Her ribs ached with a cramp and her lungs were hungry for a good breath of oxygen. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, pausing for a moment at the brow before tumbling down the nose and off of her skin. She was sore from running. They had been doing so for what seemed like hours. Justin was ahead of her, running with no intent of stopping anytime soon.

(Casey Walker – Newark, New Jersey)

"Justin!" she cried out to him. "We need to stop!"

"Can't stop until we get far away from that place!"

"We're far away! We need rest!"

"Just a little farther!" he yelled back.

"We need to stop running now!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Justin turned around. He saw an angry girl who was tired of running. He dared not to challenge her. With an edgy smile and hands raised he walked back to her. "Sorry."

Casey fell on the floor, inhaling and exhaling. Danny and Tara took a seat next to her. Every now and then they gave him a crooked eye for making them run for so long. Justin stayed on his feet. His eyes were on the road. He was seeing if anybody was following them.

The crisp wind had calmed, giving the young people a refreshing breeze among imperfect snow on the ground. The sun had not yet risen. But it was about to. The moon had disappeared and the sun was about to unleash its brilliance onto a new day.

* * *

Elsewhere, Scott and David stood face to face in the training room. Scott had one last thing to tell the man before they went to complete their mission. In the Rogue Agent's hands was a small, black rectangular box.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked.

David shrugged his shoulders.

"This is the Black Box, a weapon of mass destruction. Meant for the Silence Headquarters and for the Silence Headquarters only. When we go to their hidden base, you and the rest will search for Wayne. I will go to the Power Generator where I will plant it. I will radio you when I plant it because you'll have exactly thirty seconds to get out of there."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll get out. Just make sure you have Wayne."

"Okay."

Scott nodded his head. He took the black box and put it into his side pocket.

"Wait," David said, grabbing his temples. The pain had returned. The warning of danger. "Something's happening. Something's wrong… something _bad_ is about to happen."

The door to the training room opened.

A figure walked in.

"David!" it called out.

A barrage of punches to the face.

He fell to his knees, caught off guard.

The Rogue Agent charged his hands and shot a blast of electricity. It quickly dodged the blast and punched him in the stomach. Another quick fist to the face. The stranger grabbed Scott and threw him against the wall.

It turned back to David, grabbing him by the throat and pushing him into the opposite wall.

The figure pulled out a strange weapon. It stared into David's eyes.

David stared back. The intruder was young, maybe in his early twenties. He had long, brown messy hair that curled over his ears, over his forehead and stubble across his chin, bits of brown above his upper lip. He had startling eyes. Full of pain and grief.

"What do you want with me?" he asked.

"You ruined my life!" he spat. "You ruined my life, and now I'm going to take yours!"

He raised his arm to use the weapon, but he yelled out in pain as his body was enveloped by shocking sparks of electricity.

And he fell to the ground.

* * *

"What was that all about back there? Why were there gunshots at the diner and why are we running?" Casey took a step closer, her finger accusing the young man. "Did you do something stupid?

Justin backed away. "Yes… yes, I did something stupid."

"Oh my God, Justin!"

"But!" he said with some enthusiasm. "If we keep running the bad guys won't come and get us."

"What?"

"That sounded better in my head."

"Someone is chasing you?"

Casey continued moving closer and Justin kept backing away.

"I don't know. Maybe. But I don't want to stick around and find out. So after you catch your breath we need to keep moving."

Tara stamped her foot. "What the hell, man? She told you not to do anything stupid!"

Justin took a double take at the young freshman girl. "Okay," he said, a little annoyed. "Who asked you? No one. So shut up, please, while the grown ups are talking."

Casey pushed him. "Don't talk to her like that. You are in no position to tell us what to do."

"I'm trying to protect everyone. Let's keep moving."

"No. You're not. You're acting like Sarah."

He narrowed his eyes. "Whoa, low blow. That's cold."

"Well, you are."

His face scrunched in anger. He did not like to be compared to Sarah. He forgave her for all the things she put him through, but that didn't mean the things she put him through weren't real. Justin didn't want to believe it. As the words hovered above his head, he knew the comparison was true in this case. He did something horrible and now the people he was with were suffering the consequences.

"Fine," he agreed. "What do you suggest we do?"

Casey held up her hand. "Hold on, I'm thinking."

While Casey and Justin brainstormed on their next move, Danny and Tara were left to tend on their own thoughts. Tara crossed her arms and gave the stink eye to he who yelled at her. But Danny's mind was on something totally different.

"Tara?" he said in a concerned voice.

"What?"

"Is it just me or are those cars driving really fast towards us?"

She turned around. A black car sped down the road, coming straight at them. A second vehicle turned up behind it moving just as fast. She tugged on Casey's jacket while keeping her eye on the fast approaching vehicle. "Uh, Casey?"

"Hold on, Tara. I'm trying to think."

"No, Casey, I think we should run."

"I thought you didn't like my idea," Justin sneered.

She stamped her foot again. "There are two cars coming straight at us and I think we should run away from them!"

The two teenagers turned around.

Justin sighed. "Oh crap!"

* * *

Scott and David battled as hard as they could, but the intruder was too good. He dodged every punch, blocked every kick. Scott was quick, but he was faster, always a step ahead, delivering powerful punches to their slowly fatiguing bodies. For the first time, David's strength didn't help in combat. His bulletproof skin gave a small amount of cushion, but he still felt every blow.

Scott charged an electric ball of energy. The intruder grabbed his wrist before he could launch it. He lifted his leg and kicked him into the wall. He sped over to his body, smashing it into the wall again before viciously punching him in the stomach.

David grabbed the intruder by the shoulders, but his hands were knocked away. Fists flew in from every direction, hitting him every time. The stranger spun around and tripped him to the ground.

Before the stranger could attack again, he ducked as another electric sphere zoomed overhead.

It was the window of opportunity.

While he was distracted in that split second, David swung his mighty arm, connecting with his chin, sending him flying into the wall behind him. David got up quickly. "Scott! Get the others and bring them down here!" Without waiting for a reply, he engaged the enemy once again.

Quickly Scott got up, and rushed out the door to get reinforcements.

* * *

They ran. They ran as fast as they could, but the car approached too quickly and it drove in front of them, swerving to a stop in the middle of the road, blocking any chance of escape. They turned to run the other direction but the second car blocked off their route.

Justin grabbed Casey and the children and pushed them behind him, using his body as a shield. "Stay behind me, all right? If anything happens… uh, I'll… just stay behind me."

The door opened to the first car. A man stepped out. He was one of the gangsters who were at the alley shooting. He smiled, showing a row of perfectly white teeth. He adjusted the jacket of his suit before slyly pulling out his pistol. "This wouldn't be the best time to be a hero."

He kept them behind his body. "Let them go. It's me you want."

"How very cliché," he chuckled. "Hank tells me that you were the one who was supposed to watch the proceedings of that night's transaction."

"Yeah, so-"

"Don't talk when I'm speaking. He said that you were the one who let the police infiltrate the drop off and you were the one who shot Joey."

"Wait, I didn't shoot-"

"What did I say about speaking?" He stroked the top of his weapon. "Now, I am willing to let the children and your little girlfriend over there go. But first, they're going to watch you get tortured right here, right now."

Justin clenched his jaw.

Casey grabbed his arm. "No, Justin, we can run."

He turned to her. "Where? We're blocked off from every side and he has a gun." He took a deep breath. There was fear in his eyes, but courage in his voice. "I brought you into this and now I'm going to bring you out of it."

The gangster took a step forward. "Or I could just shoot you all right now."

"No," he stepped forward. "Do whatever you want... but you have to swear that they'll be let go safely and you won't harm them."

"You have my word."

Justin's eyes began to water. Fear was taking over. "O-o-okay…" he closed his eyes. "Get it over with."

Casey watched horribly as he was beaten, as the man stood over him with a pistol and slapped him across the face over and over again. He didn't yell. He didn't scream. He took every attack with a quiet dignity. After a few whips with his pistol, the gangster dropped the weapon and began to use his fists. He grabbed his hair, punched him in the face, picked him up by the hair, and hit him again.

"Stop!" Tara yelled, tears running down her cheek. "Please stop!"

"Don't look, Tara," Casey pleaded to them. "Don't look, Danny. Cover your ears."

With tears in their eyes they kneeled down, closed their eyes and covered their ears so that they wouldn't see the atrocity before them.

She turned back.

Justin was on his side. His head was on the ground. Salty tears fell down his face and mixed together with the blood that smeared his skin. He grunted after each kick, but he still did not cry out. Casey saw the horrible pain in his eyes. She couldn't bear to watch, but she could not look away. He was being so brave. Her lips curled into a frown and she let her own tears fall for him.

"You're a strong little guy," the gangster complimented. "But you can't stay quiet forever."

He snapped his fingers and the passenger door opened. Another person walked out of the car. He went around the back and opened the trunk. A wooden bat was in his hands, stained with dry blood.

Casey closed her eyes.

But she could still hear him scream. She could hear him cry out in pain. She cringed every time the wood of the bat connected with his ribs. It was sickening.

She wanted to help him. The words of Sarah echoed in her mind. Sarah told her to not fear her power. If she wanted to help the people that she cared about, she needed to use her gift. She could not be afraid to be powerful. She could not fear being strong.

Justin cried.

Casey stood up. "Stop it!"

The gangster stopped. He held the bat over his head. "What did you say?"

"Stop it. Now!"

The gangster laughed. "Shoot her."

Justin spat up blood. "No," he struggled to say. "No, she didn't mean it! Casey shut up!"

"I'm not afraid."

"Casey don't-"

He was silenced with another strike from the bat.

"Shoot her!"

The man from the passenger pulled out his gun and fired.

The bullet flew through the air. It passed through her liquefied body.

"What the-"

Casey outstretched her hand. The molecules of her body shot forward through her arm in a powerful torrent of water, smashing into the gangster, sending him into the driver's side of his car. She strained harder to apply more pressure, she pushed harder, crushing his bones against the metal.

The doors of the second car behind her opened and two other accomplices jumped out. They pulled out their guns, but they didn't know what to do. All they could see was a body of water in the shape of a girl drowning their leader.

She turned around. Her watery body flew through the air as a stream, landing behind the other two men. With her hands she pushed them forward into the first car, crushing their bodies like their leader before them. She yelled in anger, increasing the pressure of her water cannons, slowly flipping the car onto its side.

The gangster from the passenger seat nervously fired his gun, but the bullets passed harmlessly through her.

Casey was blind with rage. She made her body like an overflowing waterfall. Awkwardly she walked forward, body jerking with every piercing bullet that passed through her. Step after step, she came closer. Her rage burned stronger.

He dropped the gun. It was out of bullets.

He stared into her milky white eyes, scared for what will happen next.

She lunged at him, going into the air, crashing down upon his head. With all of the powerful force she could muster, she enveloped his body with the water that surround herself. He struggled for air. She hugged tighter around his neck.

Tighter.

Tighter.

Until he stopped moving.

Water was everywhere. Puddles and droplets of clear liquid gathered together, slowly crawling across the ground, forming the scared figure of Casey Walker. She stood still, shivering. She had just used her power voluntarily to save Justin's life. She shivered, but not because she feared her ability. Not any longer. She was scared because she enjoyed it. She enjoyed the power and the way she hurt those who were hurting her friend.

She was no longer afraid of her gift.

Justin groaned.

Coming back to her senses, she rushed to his side. "It's okay, Justin, I took care of everything. I'm gonna take you to a hospital, okay?"

He mumbled something inaudible before blacking out.

Tara and Danny stood up. They were in shock and awe at the amazing destruction Casey had dealt. Tara looked around. "You did this?"

Casey awkwardly walked to the second car with Justin's dead weight leaning up against her. Danny opened the backseat door so she could lay him down inside. She beckoned the kids to get inside as well.

She twisted the keys and the car roared to life. She looked back at Justin's body. "Hold on, Justin. I'm going to get you to a hospital. Please, Justin, just hold on."

* * *

David tried. But he could not win. He fell to the ground, bloody and bruised. The intruder massaged his hand as he slowly made his way to the beaten body. He spat on the floor. "You were a lot harder the last time I fought you. But you're weak now. Easier prey."

"What are you talking about?" he said, slowly backing up into a wall.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" his voice was cruel. There was hatred in his heart. "You don't deserve to live after what you did!"

"What did I do?"

His opponent picked up his weapon. He pointed it at David's chest. "I'm not even sorry. You were a good friend, but you brought this upon yourself."

David closed his eyes.

A loud boom enveloped the room.

But there was no pain.

David opened his eyes.

Another person had entered into the training room. He was wearing dark, skintight clothing similar to the uniforms that they wore, except armor covered the arms and the suit itself seemed to be made out of different materials. The new stranger kicked the intruder aside and rushed to David.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," he replied confused.

He got up, using his hand to wipe the blood from his bottom lip. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I won't let you do it," the defender answered. He clenched his fist and took a stance. He was ready to defend David. "I'm here to stop you."

"Good luck," the intruder said cynically.

The door opened.

Scott entered with Jessica, Dawn and Will.

He glanced at the six people who opposed him.

Scott charged an electric sphere.

Jessica concentrated to heal her husband.

Will and Dawn moved in to take down the attacker.

The defender narrowed his eyes. "Don't do anything stupid. You're outnumbered."

The intruder grinned.

The defender lunged forward. "No!"

In the blink of an eye, he and David were gone.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	41. The Ticking of Clocks Part Three

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. They were given powers, but they never found a purpose. Incredible abilities have helped them fight for what they believe in, and now they must fight to fulfill what they were meant to do: save the world. But with an unforeseen apocalyptic clock minutes from midnight, can the ordinary people do their part? Or will the future happen as it was planned to occur?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN "THE TICKING OF CLOCKS – PART THREE"

(The Safe House)

She looked at the spot where he was.

There was nothing.

Her mouth hung open in complete shock before looking at the stranger who defended him. "What… what was that? Where's my husband?!"

Scott ran to the wall where David's body used to reside. In shocked belief he turned to the only other person in the room he didn't know: The Defender. A charged ball of high voltage hovered in the middle of his palm as he walked closer to the stranger. "Where is he?" was his demand.

Jessica ran to the stranger. "Where is David?! Where's my husband?!"

He backed away from the sad woman and the angry man. "I... don't know yet."

"Yet?" Scott growled. "Who are you?!"

He put his hands up to show that he meant no harm. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you too much. I'd risk ruining everything."

"If you don't want me to ruin your face, you'd better start talking!"

The stranger backed into the wall. He scanned the room. Not for an escape but to look into the eyes of the people before him. They needed some answers and he knew it. He was the only ones that could satisfy their absolute curiosity. With a sigh from his lungs and a nod with his head, he opened his mouth to give them the answers they wanted.

"My name is Target," he said.

"Why are you here?"

"To save David."

(Sarah White – Lara Residents)

The basement was small, but it would have to do.

It was cold. A single window occupied a tiny space in the upper part of the wall across from her. It was not open, but the room was still cold. One of the lights flittered off and on, creating a random pattern of shadow where the shine would not go. The other light fixture had a strong current running through the bulb. It shone brightly. Boxes upon boxes were stacked in the corner where old painter buckets and dishrags and broken brooms congregated. Sarah sat in an old raggedy couch. The ends of the cushions had tears where moth and dust consumed it.

The basement was small, but it would have to do.

Anne patted the couch, coughed once the dust rose, and gave a smile to her friend. "Just stay her for a little bit while I check on my son."

Sarah nodded her head and watched her leave.

She was alone in the basement. Alone to dwell on her own thoughts.

The only thought that occupied her consciousness whether or not she was going to use Anne the way she used everyone else.

Her mind hovered over the thought, but she did not pursue it. She knew that it was only temporary. She made a strong resolve to not get her friend involved with her problems. That mistake was already made. Twice. She would stay the night and leave the next morning.

A paper in one of the open boxes caught her attention. Slowly, she rose up and a pulled it out. It was a drawing. By the lettering in the bottom, right hand corner, it was a drawing from Anne's son. Sarah brought it back with her to the couch, examining it on her way there.

It was a scene of dramatic action. Two figures enveloped the entire page. One was tall. Heroic. He was draped in blue and red, with a yellow emblem on the chest that told him that he was a super man. The Hero. The other was a grotesque, evil monster. It had ugly dark green skin with gruesome bone spikes protruding from its hide. Dark ominous eyes spelled out death. Doomsday. The Villain.

"He drew that when he was about ten or eleven." She chuckled out loud. Anne walked down the stairs and sat beside her friend. "He's quite the artist. And he loves comics."

Sarah smiled. She continued to look at the picture as she reminisced about her life. "Do you know why I joined the force in the first place? I wanted to help people. Always have. I've always wanted… I _want_ to help people. I do. Like Superman. I _want_ to be a hero… but everything happened so – so quickly. One minute I thought I was helping Alec the next minute he's captured. I thought that I was helping Mike, but he ends up with a bullet in his chest." She paused, looking over the battle on the page. "I want to help people, Anne." Her fingers traced the outline of the heroic figure in blue. "But I can't. For some reason it doesn't work out for me."

Anne nodded her head consolingly. "I'm sorry, Sarah."

She shook her head, casually brushing the words away. "It's okay, Anne. It wasn't your fault."

"No, Sarah," she said standing up. Anne reached behind her back and pulled out a 9mm Glock pistol. She took a few steps back.

Sarah turned around.

"I'm sorry," Anne said again.

* * *

His eyes opened.

He was in darkness. Little lamps hovered around his head, blinding him, blinking like eyes, watching his every movement like curious bugs investigating something new. He tried to bring his arm up to block the brightness but a type of handcuff bound his hands. He tried to break out of them but his strength could do nothing.

(David Donner - Unknown)

"Don't even bother. Those binds are made out of the strongest metal known to man. Even you can't break out of them."

"Who – who said that?"

A face entered from beyond the lights.

"You," David gasped.

The intruder did not respond. He stood in front of his captive. Watching him. His eyebrows narrowed between his forehead and his fingers clenched into his palm, slowly his muscles tensed in an aggravated way as his emotions ran through his veins. David, on the other hand, calmed his nerves. He breathed slowly and stared back. Trying to understand him. Trying to understand why he was trying to kill him.

But the silence was uncomfortable. His stare was uncomfortable.

"Where am I?"

"Somewhere nobody will find you."

"And where would that be?"

"Beneath the Washington Monument."

David held his tongue. His eyes roamed around his surroundings. From what he could see, there were offline computers, dusty desks, and cobwebs in the dark corners. It was virtually empty. He shook his head. Scott told him that Silence was underneath the Washington Monument. There was nothing there. "I don't believe you."

"Believe whatever you want, David." The intruder paused. "It was the only place I could think of that was abandoned in this time period too."

Another pause. Another uncomfortable silence. David noticed a small rectangular photograph in his captor's hands. The intruder held it like it was gold, clenched between his hands and close to his heart.

"Why did you kidnap me?" he asked nervously.

The intruder was holding back his anger but it was slowly boiling over. He glared before answering. "Because I plan to kill you."

"Why?"

"Why?!" he was mad. Furious. "Why?!"

Viciously, he grabbed David by his shirt and pulled him closer to the light. The picture in his hand was put close to his face so he could see it clearly.

The image was of a woman, a young girl. She had dirty blonde hair that hung just over shoulder length. A sweet and kind smile was across her face. She was happy. The girl was with a young man. He was the same person as the man that held him by the shirt collar. And together they were happy.

"Do you know her?!"

"No, I've never seen her before-"

"Do you _know_ her?!"

"No, I'm sorry-"

The intruder yelled in anger. He punched David in the face and shoved him into the wall. The picture was pushed back into view. "This was Casey Walker, the woman I loved and because of you she's dead!"

* * *

"Why do you need to save David?" She stared into his eyes. A worried and desperate smile inched across her lips, trying to get the information out of him. She needed to know.

He took a deep breath.

She looked deep within him and he looked back. She conveyed sadness to him. Worry and doubt mixed with confusion. He felt was she felt. He understood how important David was to her. And he knew all too well how important his mission was.

"Okay," he said softly, gently grabbing her arm, telling her without words that he was going to tell her what she wanted.

Everyone waited in anticipation for what he was going to say.

"I'm from the future. A grim future… a future where people like us, evolved humans, are hunted, attacked, discriminated against… we're all labeled as potential terrorists."

"What does that have to do with David?"

"I can't tell you too much about your own future, so I'll get right to the point. The man who took David captive is also from the future. He only goes by the name 'Lions'."

"What does he want with him?"

"He wants to kill him. Lions believes that David is responsible for the way things are in my future. He thinks that if he kills him, he'll reverse the timeline."

* * *

Lions glared at his captive. He shook the picture on last time before punching him in the face.

David's mind was on the photograph of the girl. Someone so innocent. Someone so happy. Why would he kill someone like that? He shook his head. "No, no I never did that. I never killed anyone."

"It's not what you did!" he yelled. "It's what you're going to do."

"How is that possible?"

Lions turned around. His lip quivered in rage. He clenched his fist, leaned in close and talked just above a whisper. "In the very near future, something bad is going to happen."

David honestly listened to what he was saying.

He paused remembering for a second the memories that haunted his psyche. "When those things happen, the knowledge of evolved humans will spread across the entire world. People will unite together and mourn a great tragedy and you, David, are one of the leaders. You become a great leader… so great that people do whatever you tell them to do. And when war breaks out between humans and evolved humans, you tell a small group of followers to attack the government." He grabbed David's hair and pulled him closer to make sure he could hear him. "_A lot_ of people died. A lot of _good_ people died, like Casey… and it's all because of you!"

David took a deep breath. "No! That won't happen. Now that I know what's going to happen, I – I can change the future."

Lions smiled and shook his head. "That's not an option. _You_ are the reason she died. And _I_ am going to make sure that she doesn't."

* * *

"I'm sorry, Sarah. The police are already on their way."

She dropped the picture. "How could you?!"

"You're a fugitive of the law, Sarah! What did you expect me to do?"

"I expected you to be my friend!"

"I did what I had to do. I'm still FBI."

Sarah took a step closer.

"Don't do it. I will shoot you if I have to. Just sit tight until the police come, okay?"

She remained still. She did not let a tear fall from her eye. She fought back the feeling. She replaced it with anger. An emotion she knew all too well.

A knock came at the door.

Anne raised her voice. "We're down here!"

Sarah quickly moved in.

The trigger was pulled.

The bullet bounced off of her leg.

The door burst open. Officers stormed in.

Sarah grabbed Anne's hand and twisted her wrist. With great strength she overpowered the woman, spun her around, and pointed the gun at her head. Anne struggled under the grip, but she could not break free.

Guns pointed at Sarah's head.

"Drop the weapon!"

The woman was stuck between two sets of weapons: Sarah's and the police officers.

"Sarah," Anne begged. "Please, don't-"

"Shut up, Anne! _Shut up_!"

"Calm down, Sarah. We don't want this to get messy."

"Think about my son! Please!"

"You were my friend! And you betrayed me!"

"We will fire if we have to."

"I trusted you!"

"Sarah, please put the gun down."

"No!" she screamed back. "_You_ put _your_ guns down."

The lieutenant put his hands up and nodded his head. "Okay. Relax. We're putting our guns down."

"I'll kill her right here!"

"Sarah, don't do anything rash."

She looked at the officers. They had their gun on the floor. They were still, unmoving, watching her actions. The lieutenant was even telling some of them to leave the basement. They did not want any casualties.

Her words echoed in her mind.

_I'll kill her right here_.

It was a strong statement.

Sarah looked down at Anne. She was crying. Complete fear. She trembled uncontrollably.

And then suddenly, so was she. Her hand shook.

"No," she whispered to herself. "This isn't the way… this isn't the way."

The gun dropped to the floor.

She pushed Anne to the officers.

The lieutenant picked up his gun. "Don't move, Sarah. You're under arrest."

"No." Sarah shook her head and decreased her density. Her eyes locked onto her friend's shivering body. "I'm sorry, Anne," she said as she floated out of the basement into the world.

Without looking back, she ran. She ran away from the scene. It was then that she knew. All she really wanted was forgiveness. All she really wanted was redemption. All she really wanted was a second chance.

* * *

There was a quiet ambiance in The Safe House after Target concluded. Each individual was trying to understand the bizarre turn of events.

He nodded his head, affirming that he had told the whole truth.

Scott made his hands into fists, but Jessica continued to look at the man who held the answers. The man from the future. The man named Target. There was truth in his voice. Honesty in his heart. She could feel it.

"He's telling the truth," she said aloud.

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

Scott glared at him. He crossed his arms before turning around. "Fine."

Will walked over to his leader. "Can we trust him?"

"If Jessica can trust David's life on this _stranger_, then I think we can too."

"Wow," Dawn couldn't help but say. "I did not expect someone from the future to come storming in... but two? Well done, Bob, well done."

A low beeping echoed in the hollow room.

"What is that?"

Target touched a futuristic watch on his wrist. A holographic map appeared above the face and a beeping blip pulsated a constant message. He closed the watch and nodded to Jessica. "My tracking device has pin-pointed where Lions has taken David."

"Where?"

"He's at the Washington Monument."

Scott hid his surprise. "The Washington Monument?"

"We have to leave now, there's no telling if he already killed him or not."

Jessica nodded her head. She was willing to do anything to save her husband.

Target pulled out a weapon and loaded it. "Lions is a strong enemy. It'll take all of us to take him down."

"Count me in," Scott said pocketing a little black box.

"Me too," Will nodded his head.

Dawn shrugged her shoulders. "I've got nothing better to do."

"Okay," Target said. He took a quick glance at the four heroes. He smiled at Jessica before pressing a button on his belt. A loud boom resounded off the walls. A swirling vortex of energy appeared in front of him. He turned back towards the group and nodded his head. "Let's go."

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review!


	42. The Ticking of Clocks Part Four

Previously, ordinary people have been discovering extraordinary abilities. They were given powers, but they never found a purpose. Incredible abilities have helped them fight for what they believe in, and now they must fight to fulfill what they were meant to do: save the world.

But things have changed. Two individuals from the future have interfered and they have their own personal agendas. Target needs to save David. Lions has to change the future. Two men from the same timeline. Only one world can be saved. Who will save it?

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT "THE TICKING OF CLOCKS – PART FOUR"

Sarah walked through the darkened streets in the blackness of night. Creeping through alleys and back lots, she tried to find comfort that she was on her own. Without others to look after. Without others to use. She didn't have a plan for what she was going to do next. She had little money, no place to sleep, and the hand of the law inching closer to the back of her neck. She didn't have many options.

Yet she continued to walk.

She continued moving forward. Towards a destiny she knew nothing of. It was easier to run by herself. But it was lonesome. Sarah leaned against an alley wall, looking up at the sky, silently praying to a God she didn't believe would hear. All of her problems were not caused by God. All of her problems were caused by herself. There was no one to blame.

Sarah wanted redemption. She wanted to make things right with her soul. Make herself feel like a worthwhile human being again. In no one else's eyes but her own. She needed to feel like she could make up for her past sins.

In the darkened alleyways and streets, Sarah White sat. And cried.

* * *

David took a deep breath. "No! That won't happen. Now that I know what's in store for me, I – I can change the future."

Lions smiled and shook his head. "That's not an option. _You_ are the reason she died. And _I_ am going to make sure that she doesn't." He reached behind his back. When he brought his hand back, there was a strange metallic weapon in between his fingers. Two large spikes shot out from the top. He smiled. "This is for you, Casey."

He swung his arm and stabbed him in his chest.

The portal opened with a loud boom, catching him off guard.

Target stepped out firing bullet after bullet. "Scott, help Jessica and get David out of here! Will and Dawn are with me!"

Lions easily dodged the firing projectiles. He sped forward, knocking the gun out his hand and kicking him into the wall.

Will moved in from the right and Dawn came in from the left, cornering him. They were ready to fight.

"I remember you two," Lions grinned and moved in to attack.

Jessica rushed to David's fallen body. "David can you hear me?"

He grunted.

"I'm going to get you out of here." She turned to the Rogue Agent. "Help me get him to his feet."

Scott grabbed his arm and supported his weight. Together, he and Jessica dragged him to a safe area where the fighting would not get to them. They moved farther down the corridor to an open room. Slowly, they lowered his body and propped him against the corner.

Jessica looked at her husband. She could feel his energy decreasing rapidly. There wasn't much time. He needed to be healed.

Will swung his arm, but he missed. He punched again but only caught air. Dawn jumped in, punching and kicking, trying to hit anything. But he was too fast. He evaded their attacks with super human quickness, laying a blow to their heads when they least expected it.

"I can't hit him!" she cried out in frustration. "Stop moving!"

Lions dodged a punch and kicked her in the stomach. He spun his arms in circles with extreme speed, creating a vortex of twisting air. She was caught in the middle of it. Her body flew into the ceiling before crashing down to the ground.

Will quickly moved in.

Lions saw him and took action. In a blink of an eye, he ran behind the man and kicked him in the back. Before the janitor could fall to the floor, he sped in front of him and kicked him in the face. Will flew back only to get a stomach full of punches from a furious barrage of his fists.

"That doesn't hurt me," Will smiled.

A punch to the chest and his opponent sailed through the nearest wall.

* * *

Sirens.

Wailing sirens rang out into the night's sky.

Sarah stood up. The police could be close. There was no way she would let them catch her now. She hid in the shadow waiting for the police cruiser to pass, but none did. As she waited a _fire engine_ passed by, blaring the siren, rushing towards an emergency.

People were yelling.

Sarah hadn't noticed it before, but she could hear the faint sounds of people crying for help. Slowly creeping against the wall, she poked her head out from the shadow to further investigate.

A huge fire had engulfed a three story building in the corner of a street. Orange and red bore out of the massive concrete walls. The windows filled with smoke, rising higher and higher in the night. The fire engine stopped at the sidewalk and the fire fighters quickly went to work, strapping their jackets, unraveling the hose, grabbing axes and praying that there weren't any people inside.

The huge commotion attracted spectators. The survivors stood behind the caution tape, watching as their home burned and crumbled to the ground in a pile of ash and smoke.

Sarah stepped out of the darkness to get a closer look. Everybody's eyes were on the burning building. No one recognized her face. All around her was either awe or pain. Men and women alike cried over the lost of their material possessions and others watched horribly as the lives of their neighbors ended.

The fire fighters shot powerful streams of water of the hose, trying to douse the flame. But where one blazing pillar was put out, another one popped up somewhere else. Burning brighter. Burning hotter.

"It's getting too hot in there!" one of the fire fighters relayed.

A piercing scream rang out of an open window.

"There's someone still in there!"

Sarah looked at the fire fighters.

They couldn't do anything.

But she could.

She could save a life.

* * *

"Why isn't it working?!" she screamed. "David stay with me!"

He wriggled unnaturally beneath her hands, grasping for air, searching for life. David's face twisted in his suffering, trying to fight the pain. Nothing was more excruciating.

Jessica could feel his anguish, but she could not make it go away. An odd chemical agent ran through his blood stream. It was organic, but she could not disperse it. Her powers were somehow nullified. There was not explanation for it. The two puncture wounds in his chest would not heal no matter how much she tried. "David! Stay with me!"

"Why can't you heal him?!"

"I don't know!"

Scott slammed his fist into a dusty desk. "Damn it!"

David coughed, spitting up blood. "Scott," he said weakly.

"Don't talk, baby, just lie still."

"Scott!" he gasped again.

The Rogue Agent came closer. "What is it, David?"

"Find Wayne." His voice wasn't even a whisper. He coughed again. "Find… Wayne."

Target grabbed Lions' wrist and tried to throw him, but he quickly broke his grip and kicked him away.

Dawn slowly got up, shaking her dizzy head. She looked up. Target and Will were unsuccessfully battling the enemy from the future. He was too quick. His super human speed bested them both.

Slowly she got up. "I need to touch him if we want to win this battle."

Will punched. Lions ducked. He somersaulted between his legs and tripped him to the ground. Flipping back up, he was immediately blocking an attack by Target who would relentlessly drive on, attacking with as much power as he could muster.

As he fought his nemesis, Dawn came back into the fray. Lions fought all three soldiers at the same time. Dodging and evading. Ducking and weaving. They couldn't touch him. And he knew they couldn't. He was just playing with them. Tripping one, kicking another, allowing just enough time between attacks for them to get back up before he did it all over again.

But it was time to end his little game.

He blocked Will's punch, grabbed his arm and tossed him into Dawn while simultaneously kicking Target aside.

The two collided together.

Dawn unconsciously possessed him when their bodies connected.

With a smile he flicked his wrist, tossing a small orb towards them. A bright flash of light filled the room as an electrical charge surged through their bodies and they collapsed to the floor.

He walked over to the janitor. With a nudge from his foot, he turned him over. Smoke trailed off of his back and into the air. Kneeling down beside him, he shook his head. "I'm sorry I had to get you two involved. I didn't have the vendetta against you."

"Don't touch them!" A commanding voice called out.

Lions stood up. He grabbed his fingers and tentatively cracked his knuckles.

Target took a fighting stance. He was ready.

"It's just you and me, Donner," Lions loved taunting him.

"Just shut up and fight."

* * *

The victim of the flame cried for help again.

Sarah pushed through the crowd, jumped over the caution tape and ran into the burning building before anybody could stop her. Quickly assessing the situation, she decreased her density so she would not get burnt.

The scream came again.

It came from the second floor.

She passed through the ceiling of the first floor into the second. Fire raged all around her and the smoke blurred her vision. Keeping low to the ground, Sarah moved as quickly as possible, trying to hear for the plea for help again.

"Where are you?!" she yelled at the top of the lungs.

The ceiling collapsed. A wooden support fell from the sky and through her body. It was then that the scream came back and she realized where it was coming from.

Increasing her density, Sarah punched down the door.

The fire was not as strong in the small room, but it was growing bigger and bigger by the second. There was a faint smell of gas.

"Where are you?!" she called out again.

"Help me!" a voice replied.

A girl was trapped beneath a burning wooden support. Quickly, Sarah picked it up and tossed it aside. She grabbed the girl as an explosion erupted in the room next to them, blowing out the walls. She held the girl close and increased her density, covering her body as flying chunks of wall ricochet off of her back.

"Are you an angel?" the girl asked.

Sarah laughed. "Not quite."

The floor shook.

Another explosion.

Sarah jumped out of the window.

"Look!" A spectator exclaimed.

She increased her density.

Sarah's body crashed into the sidewalk, unharmed. The girl between her arms was safe.

Everyone looked on in total shock.

Sarah quickly put the girl down and ran into the alley before anybody could see her face.

"There someone still up there!"

She stopped. She looked up at the building wrapped in flames and smoke.

There was someone still in the building. She had to save them.

Decreasing her density and rising into the building, Sarah began searching for the person in peril.

* * *

The two took small steps, moving in a constant circle, prowling each other, waiting for the other to make a move.

"I'm going to stop you, Lions."

"It's too late. I already killed him."

Target held his breath. "No," he shook his head. "I don't believe it. If he was dead, then why am I still here?"

Lions shrugged. "I can change that."

* * *

David held onto her hand. He took a deep breath. "Don't cry, Jess. Don't cry."

She tried to hold back her tears, but they fell despite her best efforts. The very thought and reason as to why her ability suddenly failed her was the worst feeling she ever felt. There was no reason. There was no thought. Without a feasible explanation, her powers would not work. "I don't know what's wrong, David. I can't heal you."

"It's okay." Water seeped through the corner of his eyes. He coughed again, wincing in complete anguish. He looked at her gentle face. "Do you understand me? It's going to be okay."

"No. No, I can't live without you."

"Yes you can." He grunted in pain. "Yes… you… can."

"Stay with me! Stay with me!"

He took a deep breath. He voice trembled. "I love you."

She tenderly kissed him, holding his hand with both of hers. She cried. "I love you."

* * *

There were two people trapped in a room blocked off by burning debris. She could see them. They were locked in combat, neither of them worrying about the slowly growing fire that surrounded them. One was a tall angular man in a prison jumpsuit. He had long hair that covered a large portion of his face. The other man was larger and more built than the other. He had a dark suit with silver pinstripes traveling down his body. The suit was worn, torn and burnt. And they continued to battle.

She grabbed the flaming debris and easily tossed it aside, making her way inside.

"Give me my money, Hank!" the tall one commanded.

"I told you already, Tyler," the other said. "Some kid screwed up the drop off."

"You owe me my money!"

He lunged at Hank. They ran into a wall. Hank struggled and managed to push his opponent away. He swung his arm but missed. Tyler punched him in the stomach. Hank bent over and was kneed in the face.

Tyler grabbed his throat and squeezed. "If you can't give me your money then you'll give me your life." His eyes began to glow an ominous red hue.

"What are you doing?!" Sarah intervened, breaking through the rest of burnt wood. "This building is collapsing. Get out of here!"

He faced the woman and shot a blast of red energy.

It struck her in the chest. She flew back through an unstable wall.

Tyler smiled and turned back to Hank. "Where were we?"

* * *

Lions rushed forward, slamming his body against the other, tackling him into the wall. Fiercely, his arms went into overdrive, pummeling his ribs. Target took every hit, yelling out because of the torture he was enduring.

But he was not going to give up. He would fight to the death.

Target lowered his arms and blocked the punches. It gave him just enough time to take a breath. With a rush of adrenaline, he powered on through. He swung his arm, moving forward, punching in periodic patterns.

He jabbed once.

Lions blocked it.

He brought his right arm down.

His fist connected with the man's jaw.

Lions fell backward, catching himself before falling. "Nice hit."

"You haven't seen anything yet."

"Really?" he laughed. "Show me."

Target closed his eyes and opened them back up. When he did a white film covered over his eyes giving the illusion that he had no pupils. He stood his ground and looked directly at his opponent. He concentrated on the air that filled the room. He commanded it to do his bidding.

The air shot forward in a strong gust of wind, knocking Lions back into a wall. The furious lash of the wind kept his body against the metal, the pressure denied his movement. It soon became hard to breath. Air was pushing against him while breath was slowly escaping him.

"Is that the best you got?!" Lions yelled out.

He concentrated on his movements. Slowly he moved from the inside out, vibrating so precisely, and so quickly that the hold that the air had around him began to break. The current passed right past him as he cut through the wind.

Target tried to increase the pressure, but Lions walked right through it.

"Face it, Target! You've lost!"

During the fight, Lions had picked up the weapon that Target had dropped from the beginning of the battle. In one fast motion, he pulled out the futuristic gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet traveled the through the air current, striking the man's shoulder.

The flurry of wind stopped.

Target fell to the ground, holding onto his wound.

Lions chuckled. He tauntingly walked around the man's head, keeping the gun pointed at his eyeball. "Face it, you've lost."

"I don't _think_ so!" Scott yelled out.

A shot of electricity enveloped Lions' body. He dropped the gun, yelling in pain. He crashed onto the wall, wriggling painfully from the shock

Scott grinned. He ran to Target's side. "Are you okay, kid?"

"I'm fine."

"Get Will and Dawn and bring them to a room just down that corridor. Jessica will be waiting for you there. Find a way to get out of here. This place is about to go up in smoke."

"No," Lions said, recovering. His mouth hung open in confusion. "You can't do that!"

Scott grinned. "Watch me."

Using his power to charge his body, he sped down to the hallway at lightning speeds.

And Lions took off after him.

* * *

Sarah punched Tyler in the face.

"Get out of here!" she said to Hank.

The man in the suit scrambled away without looking back.

Tyler opened his eyes. A red energy enveloped Sarah's body, pushing her back. She increased her density, fighting against the force. He walked forward, narrowing his eyes and condensing the beam. It burned now, burning off her jacket, ripping through the walls around her.

Her extremely dense body was too much for the second floor. In a flurry of fire and smoke, they fell to the to the floor below.

Sarah fell on her back.

Tyler landed on his feet.

"How are you still alive?!" he spat.

She tried to get up, but her density was too great. It was hard for her to move.

He wiped the dust and ash from his jumpsuit. With a sneer, he shot out another blast from his eyes.

The beam would not pass through her body, but she could still feel the heat. She felt the pain. But she did not let it consume her. She tensed her muscles and endured it. She endured the heat.

"Why can't I kill you?!"

She decreased her density and stood up. He backed away, afraid and scared. He feared for his life now. For once in his life, his power could not help him.

He shot a barrage of blasts, but they only passed through her.

"You started this fire, didn't you?"

He backed up into a wall. "So? What's it to you?"

"Don't you care about the lives you endangered?!"

He grinned. "Nope."

"You're worse than me." She swung her arm, connecting with his face. He fell on his knees. She struck again. He tried to get up, but she hit him again. "You won't hurt anybody again!"

With the last ounce of strength, he opened his eyes and shot out his most powerful beam of energy he could muster. Red energy exploded from his pupilsm blasting a hole in the entire building, breaking walls, crumbling the ceiling. But with all of the power, it was a useless effort. Her density had decreased so that the beam passed through her

He stood up in disbelief.

She punched, and since her density was decreased, her hand passed through him. Realizing what she did, she increased her density. But her arm was still in his chest.

He looked down at her arm in his chest in shock.

In a nervous surprise, she pulled her arm out and everything came with it.

He looked at her. Blood poured out of the punctured hole, slipping out of his lips, running down his orange jumpsuit. His life escaped. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. His last breath left his lungs. He died.

* * *

Scott ran through the empty hallways. He looked at the offline monitors, the barren floors, and the dim lights. It looked as if Silence had packed everything and left. Quietly he cursed to himself. Why weren't they there? Where could they have gone?

He came to the holding cells where they had kept him. No one was inside.

Wayne was gone.

He reached into his shoulder pocket and pulled out a little black box. He twitched. A bead of sweat rolled down his temples. No one was inside. No one was there. He trained his soldiers for no reason. Silence had left and there was no one to take revenge upon.

His fingers raced across the keypad. It did not matter.

_He was still going to explode their headquarters._

An unsuspected punch to the face.

Lions stood next to him. "I can't let you do that."

Scott wiped the blood from his bottom lip. "Silence needs to pay for what they did!"

He swung his arm, hitting Lions in the nose. He recovered and punched back. Scott blocked the attack. He evaded a kick, parried a punch and came right back with another combination of attacks of his own.

Lions dodged every attack. He was too fast.

But so was Scott.

With every swing of his arm, he charged his molecules, increasing his speed with lightning-like swiftness.

Lions blocked a punch, spun around to kick him in the stomach. Scott grabbed his foot while simultaneously releasing the charged electricity that surged through his fingertips. The enemy from the future flew back, skidding across the floor.

Scott turned around and raced towards the power generator.

* * *

Sarah ran out of the building.

The spectators and the news media were waiting for her.

"There she is! The person who saved me!"

She covered her face and turned to leave.

Reporters moved in closer asking questions about her heroic act. Blinding flashes of photography and nosey cameramen tried to get a shot of her. Voices yelled out to her, crowds followed her but all she wanted was to get away.

Sarah could not let them see her face.

She turned a corner and passed through another building without them seeing her, ending the chase of the reporters. She ran behind a back alley, stopping to catch her breath. With quick look behind to see if anybody was there, she leaned against the wall and sat down.

"I did it," she couldn't stop smiling. The adrenaline pumping in her veins made her high on victory. She looked up at the sky. "I did it," she said again.

It felt good to save a person's life without the repercussions of watching them get captured or watching them die. She saved two people that day and ended the life of a criminal. The feeling of redemption was powerful, and she reveled in it. She accepted the new role she was given in life. Her new destiny.

"I guess God did hear me," she said. "I got a second chance."

Slowly decreasing her density, she floated up onto the top of a roof. Sarah looked at the city skyline, the moon hanging over the world and watching her. She took a deep breath, taking in the feeling of victory, of the second chance that was given to her. Looking over the rooftops she made a promise to herself. She promised the city that she would protect it. She would serve her second chance protecting those who could not protect themselves and hurt those who attacked the innocent.

It was her power. And it was her city to defend.

* * *

It was odd that the power generator was still active. It still powered the secret underground base. Lights were still on, even if they were dimly lit, and some computers still had juice left. It was as if it was hibernating, but it wasn't going to be enough. Scott walked into the room with the box held in his hand. If he wanted to destroy the entire base, he needed it to be fully operational.

He touched the generator with the palm of his hand and released a huge current of electricity. Sparks exploded into the air as the metal behemoth roared to life. More power. The entire structure lit up with light, computers turned on in a brilliant display of dynamic energy. The turbine churned and the power generator was working at full force.

He grinned, placing the black box where his palm used to be. His finger hovered over the trigger, the button that would set off a chain reaction that would destroy everything in sight.

"Don't do it… please. Do not press that button."

"Are our lives predestined? Some would say that it is…"

Scott did not turn around. "Look at where you are. You're standing on the future memorial of the Silence Headquarters. I am about to make history."

"No," Lions came closer. "You're completing it. In my timeline the Washington Monument explodes… and then New York City… you're about to make the biggest mistake of your life."

"I'm avenging the lives of countless people lost because of the atrocities Silence committed."

"I came here to change the future. To save the world. I intend to do that."

"When the future of our lives is on the line, we make the choices that define our destiny. The future is not written in stone. But even our greatest efforts are not enough. Sometimes the odds are against us and we cannot change it…"

"Silence has to pay for what they did to me!" Scott shouted angrily.

Lions looked at his hand. His fingers slowly faded into nothingness. His body fluctuated between life and death. He felt confused. Angry. Frustrated. There was no reason why he was still there, talking to the crazed lunatic standing in front of him. If he really had changed the future for the better, if he had really killed David, he wouldn't be fading away. He would have simply disappeared, changing the future for the better, destroying his timeline. But everything remained. The people. The place. The events.

"I thought killing David would be enough… but everything is still happening the way it should, only differently," he whispered to himself.

"As we look at what our lives have become, can we do nothing to change it? Fate has intervened. Time is irreversible. There is nothing more we can do..."

* * *

"Don't worry, Justin. I'm taking you to the hospital."

He grunted in pain.

Casey pressed harder on the pedal and raced down the road.

* * *

"I am not a bad guy."

Alec sat on the bed, resolved in his decision.

He would stay in the prison. He would serve his time.

* * *

"A guardian angel saved a young girl today. But who is this mysterious protector of the city?"

Sarah looked down at the news reporter. She smiled.

Her tattered clothes whisked in the wind, above the city she adopted as her own.

* * *

"Silence _will_ pay for what they did to me. And this is the way."

"No!"

He pressed the button.

* * *

"Are our lives predestined? Is destiny what _we_ want it to be? The world changes as we do. But it will not be saved unless we fight the odds and make our own fate." – Mohinder Suresh


	43. Alec Lions: Two

(Alec Lions – U.S Maximum Security Prison – 11:00 PM)

The moon watched over a darkened city, illuminating the blackness of the starlit backdrop with a silver glow that complemented the sparkling stars like the twinkling of a guiding light, while the evening's wind traveled betwixt the concrete walls and ominous shadows of the booming metropolis.

There was a quiet hush over one particular building. A building that held the lives of so many people. Lives that belonged to the murderers, the rapists, and other criminals of a slowly decaying society. Each one was there for a reason. Each one had done something against the law. And each one was sentenced to life in prison.

But one such criminal did not belong.

One such criminal was there voluntarily. Waiting out his sentence because it was a _choice_. It was his _choice_ to stay there even though he had so many opportunities to leave. And he had the power to do so too.

Alec Lions sat on his bed with a tray on top of his lap. The metallic structure held his meal. It was well past the time for meals to be distributed, but he was hungry, and Alec had accumulated the trust of some guards for his good behavior, so he did not fear to ask for a midnight snack.

A knock came at the door.

He ate the portion of food on his fork before looking up.

"You need anything else, kid?"

A small chuckle erupted from his throat as he politely shook his head and handed the guard the tray and garbage. "No thanks, Tom."

Tom smiled. "Have a good night then, we'll be by at the same time in the morning."

"Good night," he said as the man left his cell.

Alec sighed with satisfaction before flopping down on the hard mattress of his bed. He had come to find his bed, however hard it was, to be quite comfortable. All he needed was some time before he knew that his choice was not a wrong one. His life had become what an inmate had told him: a place to stay. Three meals a day and a place to sleep. What more could a guy ask for?

A loud crack came against the door.

Alec's eyes shot open.

Slowly his shoulders moved his arms to allow the rest of his body to a sitting position; all the while he kept his eyes on the doorway.

Low grunts became agonizing cries of pain. More bodies slammed against the door and the wall it connected with. Gunshots rang down the corridors and hallways of the complex.

Something was happening.

His fingers curled into a fist. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that there were people outside of his cell that were getting hurt. Leaving his bedside, Alec inched closer to the door.

And the muffled grunts continued.

Until suddenly, it stopped.

He kept his hand in a fist and his eyes on the door. His chest moved in a constant pace, rapidly moving up and down. His body was nervous, and it was full of adrenaline, but all it did was make his body fidget.

A sound came to his ears like the sound of gnashing metal being cut into pieces. It continued, slashing at the metal frame, back and forth, cutting away at the door.

A ferocious yell and a tremendous thump knocked the door off its hinges and to the floor, sliding to his feet. Alec looked down at it in shock. Who could do such a feat?

"Alec, we gotta go."

He looked up.

It was Casey. She stood in the doorway as beautiful as the day he last saw her. But he did not believe his eyes. He had been thinking about her for so long he could not believe that she was actually standing there in front of him at that very instant. His mouth hung partially agape and his eyes were locked onto her face.

She sighed and grabbed his hand. "Quit gawking and move your legs, Alec! We have to leave _now_!"

Alec snapped back to reality as he came to the realization that the love of his life was holding onto his hand and pulling him out of the cell that he had called come to call home. With curious eyes he watched as she moved through the hallways expertly dodging past the guards and knocking them off of their feet.

He had never seen her use her powers before. It was odd to see how well she had manifested her gift.

They made their way to a flight of stairs that took them to the rooftop. Together, they bounded over each step, taking them closer and closer to freedom. Casey took no time to catch her breath. She moved on, pulling an awe-inspired Alec behind.

On the roof more guards and men in dark coats came to retain them. But Casey was the warrior in this battle. Her arm moved across her body spraying anybody in front of them with a powerful blast of water. Like a gushing hydrant, pounds of water exploded from her body and made a way for them to keep moving.

"Get ready to jump!" She told him.

"What?!" was the only thing he could say.

Before he knew it they were in the air, jumping off of a five-story maximum-security prison.

Casey let go of his wrist and turned her entire body into water. Falling faster than he, she landed on the ground unharmed. She lifted her arms to the sky and fired off a powerful geyser to decrease his descent before she caught him in her arms.

"When did you learn how to do that?!" he exclaimed.

She grabbed his wrist. She continued to run. "There's no time! C'mon!"

They raced in open territory towards the fence. The watch guards in the towers aimed their rifles, shooting at the escaping prisoner and his accomplice.

"Watch out for the snipers!"

He dodged a metal projectile aimed for his head. "You don't need to tell me twice."

She let go of his hand as her flesh turned into liquid. She looked back at him. "You have to jump over the fence."

"What?! How am I gonna do that?!"

"Just run super fast and jump!"

Casey turned back to the chain-linked fence and sprinted off towards it. As her body connected with the chain links of the wired barrier, it passed through the liquid and she passed on unharmed.

Alec took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and concentrated on what he needed to do. Summoning such a fantastic act from someone who hadn't used his powers in a while was asking a lot. But he connected with the speed within him. And he used it.

Opening his eyes, the world around him slowed down to a standstill. Bullets froze in mid-air and the snipers eyes did not blink. Birds stopped flapping their wings. Insects on the ground were stuck in time. As he increased in speed, the world slowed down. He bit his lip as he prepared for the jump.

In complete silence. The world went on mute. He lifted his leg and slammed it down on the ground, launching him into the air and over the fence.

Time crashed back to normal.

He tumbled on the dirt floor before Casey pulled him abruptly back up and they were back to running.

"Where are we going?!"

"Not far." She pulled out her cell phone and pressed a button. "Hey!" she yelled. "Where are you guys?!"

A jeep screeched to a halt in front of them.

A girl rolled down the window. "Sorry, I forgot where we were supposed to pick you up."

Casey grunted with annoyance and pushed Alec into the back seat and made her way to the passenger seat.

A boy was in the back with an AK47 rifle in his lap. He playfully winked. "Hiya," he said before loading the weapon.

"Drive!" Casey commanded. "They're right behind us."

Alec turned around. Other automobiles were racing down the street to catch to them. He turned back in his chair and strapped the seat belt on. It was just enough time to take a breath and collect his thoughts. Everything had happened so fast, he didn't really have a chance to appreciate that he was free. He was on the run from the law again, but he was free nonetheless.

He looked at the girl who was driving, she looked faintly familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He seemed to remember the boy as well, but from where he could not recall.

Casey was the only one he remembered.

How could he forget? How could he forget her face? _He couldn't_.

Casey looked into the side-view mirrors. The cars were approaching quickly. "Danny," she calmly said. "Just give us enough time for Will to do his thing."

He saluted. Danny placed the rifle on the back of the jeep and fired off a few shots in a burst. He wasn't aiming at anything in particular. Bullets flew at the windshields or on the road. All he was doing was providing a distraction.

Then it came.

A dark streak flew down at incredible speed and crashed into the front cruiser in a flurry of gravel, dust, and pieces of broken metal from the totaled car.

Danny whooped with excitement, as did the girl who was driving.

Casey sighed, finally relaxing into her chair. She looked back at Alec and smiled. That same irresistible smile that he remembered. He couldn't help but smile back as they drove down the road. Free.

Free at last.

* * *

"How're you doing?"

He clasped his cold cup of water between his fingers, refreshingly bringing it up to his lips and sipping its contents into his mouth. He nodded his head and licked his lips before answering. "Good. I'm doing good."

"Good," she replied.

He smirked. "How 'bout you?"

She laughed. "I'm good too."

"Good," he replied.

She sat down beside him, nudging her shoulder against his. He put his arm around her and settled back into the old couch that they were sitting on. He held the cup, running his thumb up and down the cold glass. She rested her head on his shoulder, slowly breathing and staring off into space.

Alec loved her. And he couldn't believe that after what seemed like an eternity, he was holding her in his arms again. Like they did before. It was a surreal experience. But he felt her hair. He smelled her skin. She was real. And he loved her.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"You," he replied.

She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

"I know."

"And," she began as she slowly took his arm off of her shoulder. "You never thanked me for freeing you from prison, mister."

He pretended to act offended. "Thank you? Why would I need to thank you?"

"If it weren't for me, you'd be sitting alone on a small cot eating nasty prison food… did I mention that you'd be alone?"

He laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Where's my 'thank you'?" she continued.

"Thank you."

He leaned in and kissed her lips, tenderly holding her body in his hands.

Suddenly she stopped, using her hand to wipe a tear away from her eye.

"What's wrong?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "No, it's stupid."

"Tell me."

"It's been a year, Alec. An entire year, planning everything that we did tonight, your break out, the get away, everything. And now that it's happened, I can't believe that you're really here, holding me, kissing me… I just-"

He chuckled and kissed her again. "I know. I know, Casey. I can't believe it either."

She smiled and stood up. She sighed, wiped away another tear and kissed him again. "We'll talk again when I get back."

"Where you going'?"

She opened the door of the small apartment but stopped before taking a step outside. Her head turned a little to the left. "I need to go see some old friends. I'll be back."

Alec remained on the couch as the door closed and he was left alone once again.

* * *

He had closed his eyes for a few seconds when he realized that the door had opened and closed. He shot up expecting to see Casey. But she was not there. The boy and the girl stood in her place, a little startled by his abrupt awakening.

"Oh," Alec said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I thought you were someone else."

The boy laughed and jumped onto the couch, wasting no time getting comfortable. He brought his feet up and propped them on top of the old, wooden coffee table in front of him. "You thought we were Casey."

"Um, yeah."

He laughed. "Figures."

The girl crossed her arms. Her eyes looked over the new comer, eyeing him in a suspicious manner.

Alec uncomfortably crossed his arms as well. "May I help you?"

She tilted her head to the side and looked at his face. "You don't remember us do you?"

"Sorry, I don't."

"Danny," the boy said standing up, hand outstretched for a greeting.

Alec took his hand, chuckling at the young man's bright personality.

The girl continued to cross her arms. "Tara."

"Hi," he replied.

A silence crept between the three people. Not a word was said. Only shifting eyes and drumming fingers.

Finally Tara uncrossed her arms and turned to leave. "It's late. I'm going to get some sleep." She left into another room and closed the door.

Alec sighed uncomfortably in an attempt to ease the tension before falling back into the couch.

Danny leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry about my sister. She's always that way."

He nodded his head. "Thanks for the heads up, kid."

He laughed. "So you're the infamous Alec Lions, huh?"

"What have you heard?"

"Only what Casey told us."

"And what has she told you?"

Danny grinned a grin that enveloped his entire face. "Nothing but good things."

Alec chuckled.

"Seriously, though, she's never been this happy before." He placed his hands behind his head, casually looking up at the ceiling in a thoughtful manner. "Before you came along she was a very serious person."

"Casey? Serious?"

"Better believe it. She had an agenda planned and we were all training to get it done right," he said very matter-of-factly. His fingers twiddled together. "But whenever she talked about you, the reason why we were training and planning in the first place, she got this little twinkle in her eye. Don't get me wrong, there were other reasons why we were training, but everyone knew that in the back of her head she was always planning to find a way to get you out of prison… And now that you're here, I guess we'll be getting a less serious Casey, huh?"

Alec smiled. He thought about the woman that he loved. Her face came to mind. Her hair flowing in her face. Her eyes beaming brilliantly. Her lips curled at the edges in the cutest way.

"A lot has happened though," Danny continued, rambling into the wind about past experiences. "A lot of training… a lot running. Everyone kind of grew up. Casey. Tara. Me." He laughed. "Especially me. I learned how to use a rifle."

Alec smiled. But his mind was still on Casey. The more he thought about her, the more he wanted for her to return. He sighed. "I gotta tell you, Danny, I never even dreamed about this. I mean, I've dreamt about being free, but I never even dreamed that I'd see her again."

"I can tell."

"It's… more than a dream come true, you know?"

He shook his head. "To be honest with you, I don't. And I'll tell you why: dreams are the most complicated thing of the human mind. I'm telling you right now, whoever said that love was hard was an idiot. Love is _easy_. Dreams are difficult."

"Love?" Alec chuckled. "What are you talking about?"

Danny brushed passed the humorous comment and rambled on, obviously choosing his words carefully. "Have you ever asked yourself why we dream? Why we see images of our past, our present, our future and everything in-between? I have… a lot. And I can never wrap my head around the concept that dreams are just dreams. Just a sequence of images and ideas, emotions and sounds during sleep… I've asked myself if they could be something entirely different. Something more. But asking questions and finding out the answer are two different things. Two very different things."

Alec eyed the young man sitting next to him in a confused manner. It was quite a speech for such a young man. His faced scrunched together trying to ask the right question to follow up what he had said to him. "Um… how old are you?"

"Thirteen. Why?"

"You do a lot of thinking don't you, Danny?"

"Not much to do besides thinking. Unless of course-"

"Danny!" someone said.

Alec turned his head to see a large man standing at another doorway leading up to the rooftop. He had short, almost unshaven hair and a large, strong upper body.

Danny stood up. "What's happening?"

"There's an emergency! We need to go now!"

* * *

Continued...

Thanks for reading and please review!


	44. William Lawson: Two

(William Lawson– outside of the U.S Maximum Security Prison – 11:00 PM)

The moon watched over a darkened city, illuminating the blackness of the starlit backdrop with a silver glow that complemented the sparkling stars like the twinkling of a guiding light, while the evening's wind traveled betwixt the concrete walls and ominous shadows of the booming metropolis.

In the alley between two large buildings towering over the streets of the city, Will stood in the cover of shadow. He sat alone in the darkened blanket of the looming towers above him. Persistently and uncomfortably, he paced back and forth, checking the street and prison beyond it.

"Where is she?" he repeated to himself.

After taking a glance at the street one last time, he fell upon the ground in a desperate sigh. He whispered his concern to where 'she' was again in an attempt to calm his nerves.

Suddenly a maniacal laugh pierced the sky.

Will rolled his eyes. He checked the street again.

More laughter crawled through the wall and into his ears, hauntingly creeping into his mind.

He was unaffected, but he took an annoyed glance at the shadowy corner where the sound originated. He cleared his throat trying to tell the voice to be quiet, but the laughter continued.

It continued. Laughing. An uncontrollable fit.

"Dawn, please shut up!"

The laughing slowly subsided into the night. With a furious grunt, Dawn stepped out of the shadows, grumpy that she had been told to stop her fun. Crossing her arms, she slumped down beside him, brooding over her boredom.

"What were you laughing about anyway?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't remember."

"Wonderful," he replied in sarcasm. "Something else you don't remember."

"So what are we waiting for?"

"Did you forget that too?"

"Wow," she said. "What's wrong with you?"

He took a deep breath. "Sorry, Dawn, I'm just a little edgy right now."

"No problem, Bill, I understand," she said understandably, nodding her head as if she really understood what he was going through.

Will chuckled to himself. He knew that she never meant any harm by anything she did. He also knew that she did not understand him. But still, he laughed every time she called him 'Bill'. It was a nickname that she called him every now and then. He looked out from behind the corner again. When he didn't see what he was looking for, Will put his back up against the wall and closed his eyes.

Dawn looked at her best friend rest his eyes. For a moment, she thought about how her life would be if she never had stolen his body the first time they met at the zoo. She smirked at the memory. "Do you remember the life of a janitor?"

"Yeah. Actually, I remember a lot of it."

"Do you remember the zoo?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember when we first crossed paths?"

He smiled. "As I recall, you stole my body."

"Have you ever wondered what would have happened if we never met?"

Will took a deep breath. "I dunno, Dawn."

"Eh," she shrugged. "It was a stupid question."

"The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked."

"Well, I was just thinking, 'cause our lives have been pretty hard ever since we met each other. What with being in a train wreck, being captured on numerous occasions, and living through the explosion of the Washington Monument," she paused to gather the rest of her thoughts, "it just seems like maybe it could've been better, you know? If we never knew each other… Not that I'm saying that I don't appreciate that I met you. I'm glad that I did."

"You're rambling again."

"Maybe it was meant to be this way."

Will took another glance around the corner.

"You think the explosion would've happened if we never met each other? Maybe this is the only way it could've been. You meeting me. Me meeting you. It's kind of like writing a story on a computer, but then it crashes so you have to write it on paper but then you realize that it's in ink, so basically your life is ruined… there's really nothing you can do after that except get a new piece of paper and start anew."

Will chuckled to himself as he looked once more down the street. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

A large siren wailed out into the night.

Immediately, he stood up. "There she is, Dawn."

Slowly she picked herself off of the floor. "Thanks for listening."

He turned towards her and opened his hand. "Are you ready?"

Happily she touched his skin and transferred her consciousness into his own. His bodily functions were now under her control while she possessed him. They were now one. Two people acting together for one goal.

She opened her eyes, a glistening smile creeping into the corner of her lips, before clenching her fist and taking off into the sky. The wind blew past her face. She circled around and hung on nothingness, watching the familiar jeep race down the street pursued by the prison security.

Dawn smiled, winked at the readers who sat at their computer desks, and sped through the air. A dark streak flew down at incredible speed and crashed into the front cruiser in a flurry of gravel, dust, and pieces of broken metal from the totaled car.

She casually tossed the twisted metal aside and watched the other cars screech to a halt.

The security officers slowly opened their doors and hid behind them, pulling out their weapons and aiming at her head. The first officer licked his dry lips and tried to calm his nervously shaking hand. "Power down, evolved human!" he commanded. "We will use force."

Dawn grinned. "Oh, I hope you do."

She moved.

They fired.

The bullets flew at her head, bouncing off of her eyes, her head, and her body, ricocheting in every direction.

She grabbed the officer's gun and squished it between her palms. She swung her free hand, knocking him back a few feet into a wall. His body cracked upon impact and he slid down to the sidewalk.

They relentlessly fired even though the bullets did no harm.

Dawn grabbed the car that the officer was hiding behind by the bumper and easily picked it up over her head. She slammed it onto the roof of the other vehicle. Glass shattered. Metal crushed. The remaining officers scattered like fleeing ants.

She chuckled to herself once more, watching them leave.

She looked behind her to see if the jeep was a safe distance away.

After seeing that it was well off into the distance, she lifted off into the sky.

And disappeared behind the glow of the silver moon above the cover of the darkened clouds of midnight.

* * *

Will and Dawn sat on the roof of the apartment at which they stayed. Dangling their feet off of the edge, sitting next to each other and watching the city skyline as it lit up with the various lights that decorated it. Will looked up at the sky while Dawn viewed the streets below. There were very few people about on the streets during that time, very few cars, and there was a small sense of security in the emptiness of the sidewalks and roads.

Dawn laughed and playfully nudged her friend. "You should've seen that one guy. He told me to 'power down' and his voice was cracking. It was hard for me to keep a straight face, but I managed to put in a witty one-liner in there."

"Yeah, I heard you. You _were_ the one inhabiting _my_ body."

"It was funny. He was all like, 'We will use force' and I was all like, 'Oh… I hope you do.' Very epic."

"Well done, Dawn," Will put his arm around her. "You've just said the worst one-liner ever."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Bob made me say it, so blame him."

He just laughed and rested his head on her shoulder. She leaned her head on top of his. Together they looked over the darkened rooftops.

Will and Dawn's relationship was special to them. They shared a bond like a brother and sister would. He protected her and she did the same. Over the time they had spent together, they learned to respect each other, and understand each other, coming finally to the point when they loved one another, not wanting any harm to happen to the other.

They were each other's family since they both did not have any to speak of for themselves.

A lone ant, powerful insect of the colony, crawled alone the ledge of the apartment building. It made its way to Will's hand, touching his fingertips with it antennae to see if it was safe. He noticed the inferior insect crawling around his hand.

"There's an ant, Will, it's gonna bite you," Dawn said noticing the ant as well.

Easily, Will squished it. "Not anymore."

The door that led to the staircase into the building itself opened. Tara walked out, followed by Danny who placed a wooden block in the doorway to keep the door slightly ajar.

"What's up, Dawn?" Tara asked taking a seat next to her.

"Not much. We were just talking about the break out."

Danny leaned on the ledge and spit over the edge. "It was a good break out. Worked to perfection."

Will nodded his head in agreement.

"Hey, where's Casey going?" Danny asked as he watched the woman leave the door and onto the street.

Dawn looked down as well. "She has stuff to do, I guess."

"I'd think she'd be inside with Alec."

"I guess she's got more important things to do."

Will laughed. "More important than Alec?"

Tara sighed. "I'm tired of talking about that guy. Why is he so important anyway?"

"He's important to Casey."

She sighed again and pouted her lip. "Well I guess that's all that matters then, isn't it?"

They laughed at her obvious sarcasm. As the early morning bore on, they enjoyed the company of friends, relating their past experiences and talking about the current events that plagued their lives. The moon still hung in the night, but the clock slowly shifted from hour to hour until everyone's eyelids started drooping passed the pupils.

"It's really, really, extremely late everybody," Danny said checking his cell phone clock. "The curfew is still active right now. We better get inside. Before anybody spots us."

Tara nodded her head and followed her brother back inside.

Dawn tapped her chin in thought and looked over the edge. "I think I'm going to go down the fire escape to our room."

Will only laughed as the odd woman left his side and began to crawl down the fire escape. With a hip and a skip, she made her way down the stairs, and disappeared into the shared apartment leaving Will alone to his thoughts.

He took one last look at the illuminated city skyline.

Without warning a siren struck his ears.

A siren that meant one thing: another capture of an evolved human.

It didn't matter if the capture was legal or not, evolved humans were being herded together unjustly by a law based on fear. And Will new what to do.

With extreme haste, he jumped off of the ledge and through the door. Flying over the steps, he raced to the apartment room. He came to the door, turned the knob, and pushed it open.

"Danny!" he exclaimed.

Alec turned his head. Will turned to see a young man standing at the couch in near the window beside Danny. He had long, tussled hair that hung across his eyes and over his ears. A young man who was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit.

Danny stood up. "What's happening?"

"There's an emergency!" he said with urgency. "We need to go now!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	45. Sarah White: Three

(Sarah White – Newark, New Jersey – 11:00 PM)

The moon watched over a darkened city, illuminating the blackness of the starlit backdrop with a silver glow that complemented the sparkling stars like the twinkling of a guiding light, while the evening's wind traveled betwixt the concrete walls and ominous shadows of the booming metropolis.

Scurrying footsteps landed hard against the alleyway concrete. Breathing hard and blurring vision, the man to whom the feet belonged to hurried as quickly as he possibly could. His hand ran across the brick walls. His head sweat profusely. And his feet continued to run.

Splashing in puddles.

Running into trashcans.

Anything to get away.

The feet tried to run faster, but every attempt to escape proved futile.

The Angel of Death was close behind.

A dark shadow jumped over the rooftop, casting a shadow of doom over the one who ran. Nervously he turned around to get a glimpse of the shadow, but he saw nothing. Scared and anxious, the man lost his concentration and ran into a garbage can, scattering its contents out of the container, causing him to fall.

In desperation, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pistol.

Another shadow jumped across the gap, gliding overhead.

"How is it still following me?!" he screamed in terror.

He pulled the trigger. Again and again. Casings dropped with every shot. He shot blindly into the dark without thinking if he had hit his target. A shadow. A flickering light. The man was too frightened to aim.

A low, ominous howl of the wind blew through the narrow corners of the alley. The sound of silence. The awaiting of demise. He gripped the handle as he rose back to his feet. Swallowing the large concentration of saliva that hung just below his tongue, he wiped the sweat that fell from the ridges of his forehead.

The silhouette of a dark figure stood a few feet in front of him.

He pointed the weapon at the figure and fired the remaining bullets.

Unharmed, the dark figure disappeared into the shadows of the building.

The man tried to calm his breathing, but the adrenaline pumped and his nerves would not listen to his commands. In the darkened, eerie and cold alley, he stood alone. Half in shadow, half in moonlight, he began to fear the worst. His eyes constantly roamed into the unknown. He feared what he couldn't see. And he couldn't see his stalker.

A sound to the left.

In a panic, he threw his pistol into the darkness.

"Where are you?!" he yelled at the wall.

A hand grabbed his head and smashed it against the brick. He yelled in pain, anguish in his head that pulsated like a never-ending headache, and slid down to the ground. Blood trickled from his temple onto his neck.

Viciously he was pulled back to a standing position and shoved into the wall.

He squirmed as best as he could, but with his slowly fading consciousness, it was hard to escape.

"Don't kill me!" he pleaded. "Please! Please don't kill me!"

Without hesitation, the figure decreased its density and stuck its hand into the man's chest, puncturing the heart.

His body fell to the floor.

The moon watched over a darkened city, illuminating the blackness of the starlit backdrop with a silver glow that complemented the sparkling stars like the twinkling of a guiding light, while the evening's wind traveled between the concrete walls. It blew past a dark figure and with the blink of an eyes, it disappeared along with the wind.

* * *

The room was small.

The bed was small.

It was an apartment made for one person, but it was even too small for that.

The little apartment room had no bedrooms, just one large room which held the little bed that had itchy sheets, a hard mattress and an even harder pillow, a sink without hot water and a cracked mirror above it, a medium sized dresser full of various assorted clothes with a secret compartment hidden in the lower left corner of the bottom drawer, a police scanner and a clock that sat at the foot of the bed.

The room was small.

The bed was small.

It was an apartment that belonged to Sarah White.

She floated into her apartment through the ceiling, increasing her density so that she landed on the wooden floor with ease. Sarah immediately made her way towards her bed. As she did so, she took off her black, leather gloves, the left of which was stained with blood. She removed her jacket, allowing it to travel down her arm to the ground. It slid across the wood, the cuff clinging onto her fingers before letting go. She lowered the hood of her black sweater that she wore underneath her jacket and took it off. It, too, was dropped on the ground. Underneath, she wore a tank top that revealed her well-built stomach and curvaceous body. With a tired sigh, she removed her specially made sunglasses that hid her identity.

Sarah collapsed onto the sheets.

She was tired from another day of work.

With another tired sigh, she closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the little comfort that the bed gave her. She tried to forget about everything. She tried to concentrate on the moment of relaxation.

But everything disappeared when a knocking came at the door.

She glanced at the clock that peaked out from behind the bedpost. It read one-thirty in the morning. Sarah looked back at the door before deciding to ignore the person on the other side.

The knocking persisted.

She continued to ignore it.

Suddenly the quiet wrapping on the door desisted.

"Tired?" said a voice.

Sarah's reflexes kicked in. She punched where the words originated. Surprisingly, her fist met the wet touch of water.

A body of water in the shape of a person knelt beside her bed. She retracted her arm as the water took form and the face of Casey Walker came into view.

"Casey?" she asked, a little bit surprised.

"It's been a while," Casey replied.

Slowly, she sat up. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see an old friend."

"Well, you came," she pointed at the door, "and now you can leave."

"C'mon, Sarah," Casey crossed her arms. "I just want to talk."

Sarah swung her legs over the edge of the bed frame. Her hands grabbed at the blanket, picking at the deteriorated stitching. "Fine," she replied. "What do you want to talk about?"

"How are things? I see you had a meeting with The Mother since we last met."

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Really? What's that then?"

"What?"

She pointed at a bruise on her shoulder. "What's a bruise doing on a woman who can increase her density so that she is virtually invulnerable?"

Sarah smirked. "I like challenges. It's too easy when I can just break a guy's arm like a tooth pick whenever I want."

"So I take it you're still on your little… crusade."

"There's nothing _little_ about it."

Casey nodded her head. "But you _are_ still doing it, aren't you? Watching the rooftops? Executing judgment?"

"I'm doing a good thing here, Casey. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Try me," she said between her teeth. "I can understand _a lot_."

Sarah looked away. She never liked talking about her reasons for doing the things that she did. It felt right. _That_ was the only thing that mattered. Her actions were based on compassion and it felt right.

Casey tapped her foot, waiting for an answer.

"Do you remember when I told you about Mike's death?"

"Yeah."

"I had no idea what to do after he died. I had relied on people for so long, and used them for my own selfish ends that I… I never learned how to do things by myself. I hurt a lot of people in my rage - I almost killed one of my best friends because I was so scared and confused, but that's what made me see what I really wanted. All I wanted was a second chance." She took a deep breath, a small smile creeping into her solemn expression. "And I got one, Casey. I got a second chance. I saved someone's life from a burning building… and it felt good – it felt _so_ _good_. That night I realized how much I had missed out. I was so concerned about myself I never realized how much _other_ people need saving too."

Casey sighed. "Nice story, Sarah."

"Believe what you want… but I've changed. I'm not the person you still think I am. _The only thing that matters is the protection of the innocent and the judgment of the guilty_."

"That's right. The newspapers are calling you the city's Guardian Angel."

"Call me what you like. The people I save call me a guardian angel. The people I hunt down think of me as an angel of death. No matter what my title is I still protect the innocent from those who prey on the fearful. Criminals. The dregs of society. They're all the same."

Casey sighed again.

Sarah glared her eyes at the woman in front of her. "I _knew_ you wouldn't understand."

"Sarah," Casey began. "_People don't change_. The world around us changes. Our perception of things change, but we – the person inside – we never change."

"Look who's talking?" Sarah sneered.

Casey glared at the woman in front of her. "I know what you're trying to do, but it won't work."

"I'm trying to make you see that people can change. _I'm_ living proof of that!"

She shook her head. "Fine. Whatever. I didn't come here to argue."

"And you're doing a real good job doing that," Sarah smirked. "Looks like you did some growing up."

"A year of running and hiding can do that to a person," she mumbled just loud enough for Sarah to hear. "We _all_ grew up, Sarah, we _had to_! If you had been around instead of – jumping over rooftops and hunting down murderers, you would've seen that. You left me with two kids… I did what I had to."

"I recall Justin being there."

"I'm glad you remember him. I just saw him, Sarah. I still have time to see him. But you… Sarah, there's a whole world out there that needs saving, and you've been in one little place off on some adventure!"

"Is that why you came here?" Sarah demanded. She stood up. "Did you just drop by to say that I'm still the same selfish person I used to be?!"

"No, that's not what I came here for."

"Then why did you?"

"I got Alec out."

"What?"

She came closer, happiness glistening in her voice just thinking about it. "I helped Alec escape from prison."

Those words changed the entire atmosphere of the room. It calmed them. It took a potentially dangerous argument and turned it into a peaceful and friendly conversation. Neither of them really knew why their words became heated in the exchange, but his name diffused it.

Alec was important to both of them.

Alec was the person that Casey loved. Alec was the person that Sarah trusted in. He was their symbol of hope.

Almost speechless, Sarah sat back down on the couch. "Really? You… you really found him and freed him?"

She nodded her head.

"You learned how to use your powers, didn't you?"

She nodded her head.

Sarah sat back and smiled. "I guess people _do_ change."

"Sarah," Casey said. "I came here to see if you've reconsidered my offer. I know it's been a while, but there are more important things going on in the real world. We need all the help we can get."

"The real world? You don't think what's happening here is real?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"Casey, there are people here who are being mistreated. Killed. Murdered. Unjustly. I know you think that taking on the world and liberating evolved humans is a good thing, which it is – I mean, you've found some good people like Will. He's a good guy. Even that weird lady he hangs around with. But you're taking on something that's too big for you. I _know_ that I can make a difference here. I _know_ that anything I try to do for the world won't matter because I'm too small and insignificant."

Casey took a seat next to her. "What about Alec?"

"He'll understand."

"Alec doesn't know about anything that's happened over the past year."

"He'll understand, Casey. Believe me." She nodded her head. "You said that people don't change, and if Alec is still the same person that he was a year ago, he'll understand that this isn't my battle."

Casey opened her mouth to try and convince her more, but a vibrating buzz in her jacket pocket jarred her from what she wanted to say. She pulled the cell phone from her pocket and held it up to her ear. "What? Are you sure? Get everyone down there; I'll be down in a few minutes. Keep an eye on the target. I do not want anybody to engage until I arrive… Okay. Bye."

"Trouble?" Sarah mused.

"Trouble," Casey confirmed.

Quickly, she went to the door and unlocked it. Before leaving, she turned to Sarah. "Think about it."

Sarah watched the young woman shut the door behind her. She was left alone on her bed, looking out the window, wondering what will become of her friends and of the world. She blew out an exasperated sigh before flopping back onto her pillow, trying to catch the sleep that always seemed to be a grasp away from memory.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!

**Another writer, Mr. Chaos, and I are sending questions to each other about our stories or the way we write them. This will be an ongoing thing and if anybody else has any thought provoking question they'd like to ask me, then please go ahead and ask them.**

q. HEROES has their big event in New York. You play yours out in Washington. Is there a reason for choosing that city? Did the city come first or the plotline?

a. _That's actually a funny story. I was in a forum here on fan fiction dot com talking about HEROES and somebody made the comment that all of the bad things happen to New York, in reference to the explosion that was to happen there. Some said that it was because it's a large city and that the dynamics are the best for a large scale tragedy while I pointed out that New York is stereotypically shown to be destroyed by cataclysms of epic proportions anyway, and that movies don't typically show something bad happen to, say for example, The Washington Monument. And then it hit me: Why should my story have to take place in New York? That's where the HEROES are. My story could start out in New York City, but then my Ordinary People could do their fighting elsewhere later on. While I was plotting out where I wanted the story to go, I knew I wanted something epic, like the explosion of New York City, in my story. But since the city was already getting destroyed I wanted to do something different, so I chose to destroy The Washington Monument as homage to my previous forum conversation. _

q. Has there been a time when another series (HEROES or another fan fic) has used an idea you had before you? What did you do about that?

a. _There have been plenty of times. The frustrating part is that I write everything down first. I outline the story, the characters, and where I want to go even before I start typing it up on the computer. So when someone else comes out with an idea that I had but I didn't write it yet, I can't exactly say, "That's my idea!" because technically they wrote it first. There's nothing more I can do about that. The beautiful thing about fan fiction is that if you have an idea that's similar to someone else's, it usually doesn't matter. Not everyone is reading my piece of literary fiction, so if someone says that I have 'their' idea, oh well. I don't think about it. _

q. What is more important to you: Character, plot or action?

a._ Easy. Characters. Character development. I absolutely love character development because the characters are what the fans are there for. Characters bring the story to life and if they're boring, it doesn't work. People didn't leave Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and say, "Wow, I really liked that Luke's planet was a desert planet." Well, maybe some did, but most likely, a large majority liked the movie because of Darth Vader, or Luke Skywalker, or Han Solo. I find characters so intriguing and I think that they're the most important. Actually, all those topics, character, plot and action, are very important to a story. There needs to be a plot for the characters to be in to grow and mature, but they can't do that without action. Now, if you're talking about hand-to-hand combat action, then that's not important at all in a story, although, in an action/adventure/drama fic, it adds a little spice to the already flavorful banquet. But, like I said before, to me, characters and they're development is the most important thing in a story._

**thank you for the questions. I hope my answers were satisfying**


	46. Casey Walker: Three

(Casey Walker – The Apartment – 12:00 AM)

The moon watched over a darkened city, illuminating the blackness of the starlit backdrop with a silver glow that complemented the sparkling stars like the twinkling of a guiding light, while the evening's wind traveled betwixt the concrete walls and ominous shadows of the booming metropolis.

Casey walked out of the small kitchen holding a glass of water. With a jovial disposition, she willfully played with the water in the glass, twisting and warping the liquid in ways only her mental capacities could do. Manipulating the molecules. Alec laughed as he received an empty glass and thanked her when it was full once again.

She took a seat next to him. "How're you doing?"

He clasped his cold cup of water between his fingers, refreshingly bringing it up to his lips and sipping its contents into his mouth. He nodded his head and licked his lips before answering. "Good. I'm doing good."

"Good," she replied.

He smirked. "How 'bout you?"

She laughed. "I'm good too."

"Good," he replied.

She moved closer beside him, nudging her shoulder against his. He put his arm around her and settled back into the old couch that they were sitting on. He held the cup, running his thumb up and down the cold glass. She rested her head on his shoulder, slowly breathing and staring off into space.

Casey loved him. She couldn't believe that after what seemed like an eternity, she was in his arms again. Like they did before. It was a surreal experience. But she felt his touch. She smelled his skin. He was real. And she loved him.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"You," he replied.

She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

"I know."

"And," she began as she slowly took his arm off of her shoulder. "You never thanked me for freeing you from prison, mister."

"Thank you?" He said with a very offended tone. She knew he was faking it, and she played along. "Why would I need to thank you?"

"If it weren't for me, you'd be sitting alone on a small cot eating nasty prison food… did I mention that you'd be alone?"

He laughed. "Then I guess I should thank you then."

"I guess you should."

He leaned in and kissed her lips, tenderly holding her body in his hands. She relaxed her muscles, allowing him to hold her, gently holding onto his waist. She didn't want to let go. She didn't want him to stop. But an overwhelming emotion mixed with confusion made her stop.

And she did. She stopped, using her hand to wipe a tear away from her eye.

"What's wrong?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "No, it's stupid."

"Tell me."

"It's been a year, Alec. An entire year, planning everything that we did tonight, your break out, the get away, everything and now that it's happened, I can't believe that you're really here, holding me, kissing me… I just-"

He chuckled and kissed her again. "I know. I know, Casey. I can't believe it either."

She smiled and stood up. With all of the excitement, she forgot that there was some business that needed to be attended to. She sighed, wiped away another tear and kissed him again. "We'll talk again when I get back."

"Where're you going'?"

She opened the door of the small apartment but stopped before taking a step outside. Her head turned a little to the left. "I need to go see some old friends."

* * *

"Hi," she said, leaving a brief pause after her breath so that an answer could be given. None came. "I wasn't sure if you wanted some company or not, but… I decided to come see you anyway."

Her feet sunk deep into the luscious green grass. She delicately and respectfully stood still, holding her arms forward with the bouquet of flowers in the palm of her hand. The moon hung high in a full sphere, its silver iridescence made the hill to which she stood glow in an eerie hue. It was nighttime, and the blanket of darkness filled the world, but where she stood, she could see clearly who she was talking to.

"Um, everybody is doing good. Danny is the funny crack-up he's always been. Full of spirit. Energetic. You remember how he was. Him and Tara are very close. She's… well, she's the same, just older. She's a teenager. What are you gonna do, right?" she chuckled to herself.

He did not respond.

The grass swayed gently in the wind. Like small arms going back and forth, the blades brushed against each other in the silence that followed. She allowed the current to blow around her and envelope her body in the small twisting dance it did with her hair, playing nimbly with the ends, bringing it up and down with every attempt to perceive the ambience of the moment.

"Justin," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I haven't come by in a while."

He did not respond.

"I've been busy. I know that isn't an excuse, but it was important." She paused again. She held her breath, ready to burst with the good news. "I did it, Justin. I found him and I freed him. Everything went according to plan. It was perfect. And he's just the same as he was before. You would've… you would've-"

She could not finish her sentence. With all of her might, she tried to hold back the tears that were slowly creeping out of the corners of her eyes, but she was not strong enough. Casey cried. She wept. She kneeled down and placed the flowers on the soil that lay in front of a large granite structure that protruded from the ground.

She tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. Only tears. Only sorrow.

On the ground, Casey remained. Looking forward. Contemplating in silence. It was her way of composing herself. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry, but since she had, she promised herself that she would stop. Taking deep breaths, calmness finally entered into her body. An exhale. And she was ready to continue.

"You would've been happy to see him. He… I know he would've been happy to see you, he would've been so happy to see you, Justin." She paused again to fluff the flowers in a more presentable manner. "He knew. He knew that he was your best friend. And I'm positive you were his too. You were his too," she stated with more conviction.

Casey pulled herself up, already wiping the last tear or two that managed to escape. It was always hard, but she felt that talking to him would make things easier, and even a little less awkward. It made things less awkward, but it definitely didn't make things easier. It would never be easy. No matter how much time passed.

"I'll see you later, Justin. I'm going to go see Sarah now. I'll give her your regards." And then she left. Leaving the place the same way it had been for the last year, and the way it would stay for years to come.

* * *

Casey knocked on the door numerous of times, but she would not answer. She glanced at both ends of the hallway to make sure that no one was watching, and she liquefied her body, slithering underneath the door to her bedroom, and making her way to the bed where the woman lay. She woke up rather abruptly, but it was expected. Casey was there to talk. But she knew it was going to be a difficult task.

"How are things?" she asked.

"They're pretty good."

"I see you had a meeting with The Mother since we last met."

"Yeah."

"What are those?"

"What?"

She pointed at a bruises on her arm and shoulder. "What's a bruise doing on a woman who can increase her density so that she is virtually invulnerable?"

Sarah smirked. "I like challenges. It's too easy when I can just break a guy's arm like a tooth pick whenever I want."

"So I take it you're still on your little… crusade."

"There's nothing _little_ about it."

Casey nodded her head. "But you _are_ still doing it, aren't you? Watching the rooftops? Executing judgment?"

"I'm doing a good thing here, Casey. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Try me," she said between her teeth.

She paused, almost thinking about whether or not she wanted to answer.

Casey tapped her foot, waiting for an answer.

"Do you remember when I told you about Mike's death?"

"Yeah."

"I had no idea what to do after he died. I had relied on people for so long, and used them for my own selfish ends that I… I never learned how to do things by myself. I hurt a lot of people in my rage - I almost killed one of my best friends because I was so scared and confused, but that's what made me see what I really wanted. All I wanted was a second chance." She took a deep breath, a small smile creeping into her solemn expression. "And I got one, Casey. I got a second chance. I saved someone's life from a burning building… and it felt good – it felt _so_ _good_. That night I realized how much I had missed out. I was so concerned about myself I never realized how much _other_ people need saving too."

Casey sighed.

"Believe what you want… but I've changed. I'm not the person you still think I am. _The only thing that matters is the protection of the innocent and the judgment of the guilty_."

"That's right. The newspapers are calling you the city's Guardian Angel."

"The people I save call me a guardian angel. The people I hunt down think of me as an angel of death. No matter what my title is I still protect the innocent from those who prey on the fearful. Criminals. The dregs of society. They're all the same."

Casey sighed again.

Sarah glared her eyes at the woman in front of her. "I _knew_ you wouldn't understand."

"Sarah," Casey began. "_People don't change_. The world around us changes. Our perception of things change, but we – the person inside – we never change."

"What about you? You've done some changing yourself. Looks like you've done some growing up."

"A year of running and hiding can do that to a person," she mumbled just loud enough for Sarah to hear. Casey knew when a conversation was turning into an argument and their conversation was definitely headed in that direction. Although she didn't want to fight, Sarah had a tone that didn't bode well with her. "We _all_ grew up, Sarah, we _had to_! If you had been around instead of – jumping over rooftops and hunting down murderers, you would've seen that. We thought you died. You left me with two kids… I did what I had to."

"I recall leaving Justin with you."

"I'm surprised you remember his name. I just saw him, Sarah. I still have time to see him. But you… Sarah, there's a whole world out there that needs saving, and you've been in one little place off on some adventure!"

"Is that why you came here?" Sarah demanded. She stood up. "Did you just drop by to say that I'm still the same selfish person I used to be?!"

"No, that's not what I came here for."

"Then why did you?"

"I got Alec out."

"What?"

She came closer, happiness glistening in her voice just thinking about it. "I helped Alec escape from prison."

Those words changed the entire atmosphere of the room. It calmed them. It took a potentially dangerous argument and turned it into a peaceful and friendly conversation. Neither of them really knew why their words became heated in the exchange, but his name diffused it.

Alec was important to both of them.

Alec was the person that Casey loved. Alec was the person that Sarah trusted in. He was their symbol of hope.

Almost speechless, Sarah sat back down on the couch. "Really? You… you really found him and freed him?"

She nodded her head.

"Sarah," Casey said. "I came here to see if you've reconsidered my offer. I know it's been a while, but there are more important things going on in the real world. We need all the help we can get."

"The real world? You don't think what's happening here is real?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"Casey, there are people here who are being mistreated and killed and murdered. Where's the justice, Casey? I know you think that taking on the world and liberating evolved humans is a good thing, which it is – I mean, you've found some good people like Will. Even that weird lady he hangs around with. But you're taking on something that's too big for you. I _know_ that I can make a difference here. I _know_ that anything I try to do for the world won't matter because I'm too small and insignificant."

Casey took a seat next to her. "What about Alec?"

"He'll understand, Casey. Believe me." She nodded her head. "You said that people don't change, and if Alec is still the same person that he was a year ago, he'll understand that this isn't my battle."

Casey opened her mouth to try and convince her more, but a vibrating buzz in her jacket pocket jarred her from what she wanted to say. She pulled the cell phone from her pocket and held it up to her ear. "What?"

"They've got another one. They're moving downtown right now," Will relayed.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Get everyone down there; I'll be down in a few minutes. Keep an eye on the target. I do not want anybody to engage until I arrive."

"Come quick. They're moving pretty fast."

"Okay. Bye," she said closing the mobile phone.

"Trouble?" Sarah mused.

"Trouble," Casey confirmed.

Quickly, she went to the door and unlocked it. Before leaving, she turned to Sarah. "Think about it."

* * *

A convoy of police cars and a transport moved down the empty streets. It was odd for them to make a catch so late at night because of the curfew, but it was not uncommon. Some evolved humans still disobeyed it, and there were consequences for such actions.

Casey peeked her head out from a darkened alley, watching the automobiles drive by. Oddly, the cars decrease in their speed. Together they slowed almost to a halt, idling across the street as if waiting for something.

She flipped open her cell phone and dialed Will's number. "What's your status?"

"We're coming on your location now," he replied.

She looked up as Will's body flew down from the heavens, separating from Dawn's body as he landed, and the jeep approached from the other side of the alley, unnoticed by the police cars moving down the road. Danny, Tara and Alec filed out, assembling next to Casey to assess the situation.

"So what's the plan, boss?" Danny jested cocking the AK47.

Casey took one more glance at the convoy.

Alec slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Alec?"

"Um… yeah, I'm kind of a newbie and this whole thing. So, uh, what exactly are we doing?"

Dawn patted him on the shoulder. "You've missed out on _a lot _of fun this year, dude. A lot of fun."

Casey smirked at him and grabbed his hand. "First we need to make up a plan."

"And then we get to have fun," Dawn added, rubbing her hands together with a large smile on her face. "Oh, what fun we'll be having!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!

**Whoa! I got a lot of questions this time. Thank you to everyone who sent me the questions. Keep them coming if you got more to ask!**

q. For me, the biggest cliché is when a very popular idea takes off, like Star Wars or Harry Potter, and then all of a sudden, you get all of these knock-offs that take most of the ideas from these movies and/or books. What do you think are the most overused clichés used in movies, TV, and books these days?

a. _Well, firstly, I don't read books for fun anymore, so I wouldn't know too much about clichés in books; they're all probably the same anyway. Movies and TV, however, are a different story. I think a cliché in 'action' movies is the slow-motion bullet time effect that was introduced in The Matrix. It was cool the first time, but the thousandth time afterwards got so repetitive and annoying. But maybe I'm just being cynical right now. In TV, a huge cliché that is being done and done and done over again is the crime-drama/ legal-dramas. Actually… maybe that's not a cliché, but it sure is annoying how many new TV shows there are about that kind of stuff. So, I guess I'm with you on this one, Questioner, I, too, dislike how a really good idea gets made and then other writers and people go around using the same thing, overusing it to the extreme, and ultimately destroying the uniqueness it had to begin with. But the funny thing is that nothing is original. Everything is influenced by something else. And anybody could argue that it's not true, but everything has been influenced by something in the past, whether it's from The Bible, Greek Mythology, or something recent like Star Wars or Harry Potter._

q. Some people do their stories completely within the world of Heroes, at the same time as an episode airs (IE Elsewhere). Others don't, choosing to simply do theirs in a time frame that works best for them. You seem to have a quasi-version of both, being not totally governed by the show yet also not separate. Did you choose to start out that way, or was it a happy accident?

a._ Interesting question. When the show first started I wanted to tie Ordinary People with Heroes like no one would ever think about doing. [I mean, who doesn't think like that when they're writing a fan fic But as I read other Heroes fan fics, I saw that EVERYONE was doing the same thing I wanted to do. I began to notice that the more writers tried to tie in their stories with Heroes, the less their stories progressed. Everything seemed to be "Heroes" with different characters. There was little room to do anything creative and I definitely did not want to be limited in what I could write. Since I already knew that it would be extremely difficult to write something that intertwined with the show on the level I wanted, I decided to branch off from the major story arcs told in the show and create something that would be unique to me and the way I write. Many might have noticed this by the way I chose to write the first chapter. An entire chapter dedicated to the character I was introducing. Beyond that, I had the lives of my original characters intertwine with, not with Heroes characters, but with others' that I had created. This allowed me to go where I wanted to go with the story and not be hindered by the progress of the show. However, I did throw in little hints in the chapters to show that Ordinary People was indeed in the same universe as Heroes, what with Mohinder's narrations in the beginning and his cameos as a taxi driver, the fact that I posted the chapters on Mondays, or even the inclusion of the art gallery that Simone owned. So to answer your question directly, it was a little of both. I knew what I wanted, but when I knew that it wouldn't happen, everything sort of happily fell together by accident into the story only a selected few read today. _

q. Someone once said that all writers plagiarize, the good ones just make sure you never realize it. Sometimes we see beats in other movies or shows and borrow them. Is there a moment in your story that is echoing something from another movie or show?

a. _Well I certainly pay homage to certain things in movies and such that I think fit well with the certain genre I'm writing, if that's what you're talking about. For example, the scene where Sarah jumps off of the car and lands on top of the police cruiser, flips it over and then rams her shoulder into the second approaching vehicle, was inspired by the action sequences in The Matrix: Reloaded Freeway Chase Scene and the Smallville episode 'Shattered'. Other things like the comic book references between Alec and Justin were supposed to parallel the 'Hiro and Ando' relationship. Some of the story arcs were actually inspired by a comic book I wrote. I think the most blatant 'echo', I guess you could call it, would be the characters' powers. It was so hard to make up useful and unique powers when I had this awesome story and I was impatiently waiting to post it on the Internet, but I couldn't cos none of the characters had powers. So I just looked at some cool abilities and stuck them on, changing a few of them methodically as the story progressed. I guess borrowing powers isn't a huge deal, but I certainly didn't make them up. Other than things like that, I think a majority of Ordinary People was from my imagination or from something in the back of my subconscious that happened to slip by my fingertips to the keyboard and into my story. I don't think I answered the question, but by any chance, did I?_

q. Heroes: Origins is coming out in the spring. IF the producers of Heroes gave you one 'One Hour' episode to tell an independent story about a new hero, which character would you feature from your fic, and how would you condense their story down?

a. _That's a great question… I don't know whom I'd choose. All of my characters seem interesting enough to have their own episode. My favorite characters are Dawn, Sarah and Casey, so perhaps I'd do something with one of them. I'd probably write an episode for Dawn because she has cross-dimensional awareness and that would be totally awesome to see her breaking the fourth wall on the television screen. If I were to condense her story, which would be hard with only an hour to do so, I'd still have her in the Mental Institution. I'd start it out the same way with the blaring alarm including how she leaves the institution with Nelson's body, but I don't know how I'd go from there, to tell you the truth. I couldn't exactly add in her meeting with Will because then that would be two characters, but I would still add her sense of loneliness that she had in the beginning chapter. The episode would be really erratic like the chapter, she'd definitely still have her odd sense of humour, and she'd probably do something heroic by doing something un-heroic. If I thought about it more, I could probably make up a really good plot, but it's hard because I already have an origin story for her._

q. Where's David?

a._ That truly is the question, isn't it? Well, as much as I'd like to reveal that information, sadly, I cannot. That's classified. There are going to be many mysteries within this season that slowly get answered as the season goes on, brought about by the 'One Year Later' that has passed, and 'the mystery of where David is' is apart of that giant mystery. Sorry. All in due time. All in due time._

**thank you for the questions. I hope my answers were satisfying.**


	47. Like The Sunrise, Like The Twilight

The events after the explosion of the Washington Monument were exactly as the man in the future had predicted. A year has gone by after the destruction of New York City and the world has become a dark place. The future seems grim for the ordinary people with extraordinary abilities.

The next chapter of Ordinary People begins:

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE "LIKE THE SUNRISE, LIKE THE TWILIGHT"

A convoy of police cars and a transport moved down the empty streets. The streets rumbled and the lampposts shook. The scene was intimidating, a powerful escort of a prisoner. It was odd for them to make a catch so late at night because of the curfew, but it was not uncommon. Some evolved humans still disobeyed it, and there were consequences for such actions.

Casey peeked her head out from a darkened alley, watching the automobiles drive by. As it passed by, each automobile began to decrease in their speed. She flipped open her cell phone and dialed Will's number. "What's your status?"

"We're coming on your location now," he replied.

She looked up as Will's body flew down from the heavens, separating from Dawn's body as he landed, and the jeep approached from the other side of the alley, unnoticed by the police cars moving down the road. Danny, Tara and Alec filed out, assembling next to Casey.

"So what's the plan, boss?" Danny said as he loaded the AK47.

Casey took one more glance at the convoy.

Alec slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Alec?"

"Um… yeah, I'm kind of a newbie and this whole thing. So, uh, what exactly are we doing?"

Dawn patted him on the shoulder. "You've missed out on _a lot _of fun this year, Alec. A lot of fun."

Casey smirked at him and grabbed his hand. "First we need to make up a plan."

"And then we get to have fun," Dawn added, rubbing her hands together with a large smile on her face. "Oh, what fun we'll be having."

Casey turned to Will, looking for some inspiration. "I have an idea of what we should do, but what do you think is the best course of action?"

Will lifted into the sky to get a better view of their target. He silently counted the number of vehicles in his head. The cars were traveling down the street surrounded by buildings on both sides, condensing the battlefield considerably. After another assessment, he lowered himself back into the alley to explain what he thought would be the best course to take.

"I see four police cars around the transport, which I'm guessing holds our evolved buddy. There're two cars in the front, two in the back. Tara? Danny? Dawn and I are going to strike first and take out the first two."

"Where does that leave us?" Tara interjected.

"I'm getting to that. Dawn is going to possess the driver of the transport. Once she does that, we can take the prisoner to the rendezvous point at the empty warehouse on Green Haven Avenue."

Casey nodded her head. "Good thinking. Tara and Danny will provide cover fire for you guys."

"You'd have a better vantage point on the top floor," Will told Danny. "Follow that escort. Once Dawn starts attacking, get to top floor of the closest buildings so you can pick give us-"

"Cover fire. Got it. Sweet," Danny grinned. "Just tell us when you're gonna start the party."

"Don't forget the signal," Casey reminded them.

Tara nodded her head. "C'mon, Danny, we should start moving then."

"When Dawn attacks the first wave of cars, that's when you come in."

She stamped her foot in irritation. "Got it!"

The two left the group, throwing their rifles around their shoulders and heading towards the specified buildings of great vantage. They traveled through the alleys and back lots, undetected by the police officers who guarded the transport vehicle.

"Hey, guys?" Dawn asked.

"What?"

"They stopped moving."

Will and Casey turned their attention to the convoy. The road was still and calm while the certain automobiles neglected to move. The siren dimmed to silence at the final halt. They remained in formation; only the wheels did not turn. There was no reason for the sudden brake, but it gave the group an ample opportunity to trap the officers where they wanted.

"What are they doing?" Alec inquired.

"I don't know," Will stated, returning to the huddle. "Alec? You and Casey take out the second wave after Dawn and I do the first. Once we drive the transport away, both of you need to retrieve the children and bring them to the rendezvous point."

Casey nodded her head. "Good plan, Will. I don't call you 'Brainiac' for nothing."

"You've never called me that."

"Oh," she smiled. 'Well, I am now."

He chuckled and turned to Dawn. "Ready?"

She beamed a smile to him. "As always, Bill."

They clasped hands and joined together. She took a joyous deep breath, flexing the muscles and testing her strength. Dawn winked at the two remaining members of the group before flying off.

Casey pulled out her cellular phone and called her teammates. First she called Tara. "Don't do anything until you see the sign, understand?"

"I understood, Casey!"

"Tell your brother too."

She hung up and dialed Will's number.

"What's up, fearless leader?"

"Dawn, get into position, but do not attack until I give the order."

"Understood, boss lady. I'll signal you when I'm ready."

Casey turned to Alec. "Are you okay?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I've never seen you like this before."

"Better get used to it, Lions. We do this a lot."

(Inspector Brown – Police Department)

Nightfall. It was the blanket of tranquility. A calm and inner peace. Robert Brown stood erect, hands in pocket, a cigarette hanging off his bottom lip, squinting his eyes at the window. His necktie hung loosely on his neck. An unbuttoned collar revealed a strong collarbone. A puff of smoke. A dim fog had filled the room, escaping through the vents or the small crack beneath the door. His dusty grey and used trench coat hung from the chair. Papers strewn across his desk. Another puff of smoke.

Nighttime was when the criminals did their dirty deeds. Their malicious actions. And that meant work to be done. The tranquility and inner peace wasn't for Robert Brown. It was for the lowlifes. Murderers. Rapists. The Dregs of Society.

They were all the same to him.

They broke the law. He was there to arrest them for it.

Some, if not most, people would find the title 'Inspector' to be old-fashioned, but that was the way he liked it. It sounded right. The proper position for someone who directed the police force. Inspector Brown. A strong title for a strong man.

The job was tough. Being the commissioner of a broken city was not the most glamorous job. But he didn't do it for the glamour. He was the man who entered into a terrorized city, dedicated to fix it. Inspector Brown did his job because he knew it was right. The city needed a guarantee that everything was going to fine.

But 'fine' wasn't the best word to describe the city's situation.

There had always been crime. But nothing like it had been before. Society's morals, as it seemed, began to decline along with the plummeting needs of the people. Everyone was scared. Scared of what might happen next. Scared of the next catastrophe. They were scared of evolved humans. And Inspector Brown had a lot to deal with.

One year. One year of fear and violence.

Two things that humans, evolved or not, were predictable for: Fear and Violence.

Another puff of smoke.

Static on the radio. "Inspector, we found another one."

He brought it to his mouth. "'Another one' what?"

"He was identified as Garret Thomas. He was the-"

"Murderer. Killed his wife and kid."

"Yeah. We found him in an alley. Um," the man's voice haltered, "his chest was punctured… like the other ones."

"Damn it," Robert whispered. He clicked the two-way radio into the off position.

He turned to his desk, placing his hand gently on a stack of papers before searching through them. His fingers swept across the corners, lifting each sheet, slowly counting in his head. Until he found what he was looking for. A newspaper clipping. A darkened figure. The mystery person's leather jacket glistened in the moonlight.

"The Guardian Angel," he hissed.

Another puff of smoke.

The Inspector opened the desk drawer and retrieved his digital recorder. He pressed the record button and aimlessly walked about in his office. "Continued log. Saturday. The Guardian Angel is at it again. He brutally murdered another man, a criminal, but a man nonetheless. This _vigilante_ continues to take the law into his own hands. And that is unacceptable. I am frustrated that I cannot catch him. In the act or afterwards. He is elusive. Almost like a ghost. I know that he's an evolved human. Crime has doubled since his arrival. Coincidence? I can't rule out the possibility." He inhaled another breath of smoke before releasing it through his nose. He sighed miserably. "There's too much happening right now and I can't deal with some punk who decides to do justice his way. He may be stopping the criminals but he's _killing_ them. The ends do not justify the means. Killing is wrong. And he does it like he's taking out the garbage-"

A knock at the door.

"Yes?"

A uniformed police officer respectfully came into the room. "The raid is ready when you are."

Inspector Brown grinned. "Good. I'll be there in a second."

He looked at the photograph again. The recorder was still recording. He looked out the window. The dark sky. The falling stars. The city lights. It seemed so peaceful. But he knew better. Experience taught him too much. He brought the recorder back to his mouth. "I _will_ catch this _guardian angel_. I will."

* * *

Tara crouched in the shadow of the towering building beside her, casually glancing down at her phone for the signal Casey said that she'd give her. She grazed the street with her eyes until her look fell upon her brother, who also hid in the camouflage of night. The building she rested against was parallel to his with the police directly in-between the two.

Her cellular phone vibrated in her hands. She quickly put it to her ear. "Casey?"

"No," said her brother. "It's just me."

"What do you want? I need to keep the line open."

"I just wanted to make sure that if anything goes wrong, you know where to meet."

"At the warehouse, Danny. Casey told us a million times."

"Okay. Just making sure."

"Is that it?"

There was a brief pause. Tara knew by the way he breathed, Danny was actually thinking of anything else he needed to tell her. Politely, but annoyed, she held the phone to her head and waited for him to respond.

"Are you scared or excited?"

"What?" She looked the phone as if she was looking at her brother in a surprised and, of course, annoyed expression. "What kind of question is that?"

"Are you scared or excited? Just answer it."

"Neither."

* * *

"Neither?" he said in playful suspicion. "I don't believe that."

Casey chuckled. "Believe it."

Alec smirked. He raised his hands in the air and stretched his upper body, moving back and forth, grabbing his arms and extending them as far as his body would allow, he yawned before leaning against the wall. He eyed the woman he loved. She noticed and gave him a silly smile.

"You're a dork," she said.

"Yup. That's me."

She hit him in the shoulder. "Good thing I like dorks."

He placed his hands close to his sides, playfully picking at the slightly baggy clothes that Will had loaned him as Casey looked down the street at the still stagnant police convoy. He wriggled his fingers and made them into a fist, making a quick jab into the air. "I haven't been in a fight in a while," he stated.

"This isn't a fight. It's a rescue."

"So you've been rescuing people for the last year?"

"A little bit. Mostly we were training and searching for you."

"Really? I feel so special."

She turned back to him. Her hand grasped his. "It took a long time to find you. You're a hard person to find."

* * *

"It's not that hard. I'm more aggravated than anything really. I just… Remember what Dad used to say?"

Danny laughed. "You have to be specific. Dad said a lot of stuff."

"Remember how he used to say that people fear what they don't understand? People don't understand evolved humans so they react in violence. They don't realize that they're just like you or me, only with a larger responsibility."

Danny laughed again. "Who do you think you're talking to, sis? It doesn't sound like you to care for other people."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I hate to say it, but you're pretty selfish."

"I am not!"

"You are. I mean, it's not a bad thing," he reassured her. "It's just one of your personality traits. You've been that way since you found out Dad died."

Tara angrily bit her lip at the way he off-handedly talked about their father's death. So casual. It seemed disrespectful. "Well," she sneered through her teeth. "That's what happens when you trust strangers like Sarah White!"

"She wasn't that bad."

"Speak for yourself."

Danny sighed into the phone. "So are you scared or excited?"

She sighed. "I meant what I said."

"Fine, don't tell me," he stated. "I'm scared… as usual."

* * *

"You? Scared?"

Alec nodded his head. "Well, I'm not really scared, but it's still a little bit overwhelming for me. I haven't been out in the world in a really long time, so, you know, this is a big deal."

"I'll protect you, don't worry."

"Oh, thanks," he scoffed. "Take my dignity away too."

"Alec," Casey moved closer and looked into his eyes. "It's only a rescue, okay?"

"No, that's not what I mean. It's a big deal that I'm with you again and the first thing we do together is rescue someone we don't know."

"I promise, after this, we'll do something, okay?"

"Okay."

She turned away from him to inspect the development of the convoy. She eyed the skies for Dawn. Alec smiled again. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. "Hey, you know what I've been wondering?"

"What's that?"

"Where's Justin? I haven't seen him since I got here."

She pushed his arms off of her stomach. "There's Dawn's signal. Let's go." Casey stepped out from behind the wall, followed by a dejected Alec who massaged his knuckles in preparation for the eminent battle to come.

* * *

A barricade of police cruisers parked in front of a two-story building, blocking the entrance of any escape. Police officers armed their guns, tentatively using the car doors as a shield against enemy fire that may come their way. A large truck with S.W.A.T on the side pulled up. Men in black uniforms, helmets, protective vests and various assorted weapons marched out of the back.

The leader of the S.W.A.T. team approached a man putting on his own Kevlar vest.

"Inspector, the SWAT team is ready. Just give us the word."

Inspector Brown nodded his head as he pulled out his pistol. "I'll lead."

* * *

Sarah stood on the roof of the building. The SWAT members filed in through the double doors. No doubt, there was a group of criminals somewhere inside. But she wanted to get there before them. Before they could apprehend the criminals and arrest them. The police were useful, but she had a more _permanent_ solution.

A man in the top floor window poked his head out. "Hey, Coppahs! I got a surprise for ya!"

He shouldered a bazooka.

A police cruiser lifted into the sky as the missile collided with the engine, exploding the core. It spun in mid-air. Officers, who were unfortunate enough to be close to the explosion, lit up in flame or flew a few feet backwards. The chasse crashed back down to earth as the criminal spit out of the window.

Sarah decreased her density and fell through the ceiling.

Wasting no time, she grabbed the nearest body and threw it into the wall, brutally punching him in the face, causing disorder within the group of masked convicts.

She spun around and backhanded another. He pointed his pistol in retaliation. Quickly, she took the gun out of his hands, kicked him and smashed the object in his face.

The leader, who carried the bazooka, dropped his weapon in fright. "The Angel of Death!"

Sarah broke another man's arm before she punched him into another wall.

The leader tried to make a run towards freedom, but Sarah closed-lined him to the ground. She picked him up by the collar. In a combination of punches and head butts, she pulled his almost unconscious body to the window, ready to throw him out to his death.

The door crashed open.

Inspector Brown and the S.W.A.T. team stormed in. Weapons drawn.

"Drop your weapons!" he yelled expecting to see the gang of convicts.

Sarah dropped the criminal's body, surprised by their sudden intrusion. Almost immediately after collecting her thoughts, she decreased her density and fled through the window before they could apprehend her.

The Inspector ran to the opening in the wall. The bruised body of the leader stirred in agony. The Inspector silenced him with a kick. He poked his head out of the window to get a glimpse of the vigilante, but the dark figure was already gone.

One of the S.W.A.T. officers whistled in awe. There were a lot of broken bones and a lot of unconscious weapons dealers. "Who could've done this?"

He slammed his fist into the windowsill. "Haven't you heard? We have a vigilante 'protecting' my city." His voice had an edge to it. "An _evolved human_ vigilante."

"Have you actually seen him?"

"No. Not up close. The next time I see him, though, I'll personally put a bullet through his head. No one takes the law into their own hands. Especially in _my_ city."

* * *

Dawn flew down. She stood directly in front of the first two police escorts. Standing defiantly with her hands resting on her hips, she grinned to let the drivers inside know that she was not going to move.

The passenger door opened but she was immediately on the automobile. With clenched fists, she smashed the hood. The front end crushed under the impact and flipped into the air. She flew up, quickly taking it into her hands and ripping the car's body in half. Using the two halves of the car, she smashed the second to a crumpled piece of scrap metal.

She tossed the broken car aside and she flew to the driver's door of the transport vehicle.

Easily, Dawn ripped it off of its hinges.

A strong concussive energy beam enveloped her chest and knocked to the floor.

Casey stopped Alec before they got to the street. "What the hell was that?"

Wayne Rockwell, Secret Agent of the Government, stepped out of the car, dusting his hands off. He pulled a lever near the driver's seat and opened the back door. Three individuals stepped out: Kelsey Walters, Connor Franklin, and Destiny McClaine.

The Government's Secret Service.

He turned to his cohorts. "We finally got 'em."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!

**Questions from Readers:**

q. To make a story great, you always have to have a great villain, because I think a villain is what really makes or breaks a story. So, in your opinion, what makes a great villain? And who would u say is the Ultimate Villain?

a._ There are two types of villains: The ones you like and the ones you don't. And I believe that a great villain should be liked. It's easy to make the readers hate the person who they're supposed to hate, but it's a whole different story when the author is able to create a villain that the readers like and want to see more of. So, to answer the first question, a believable motive, and a good character personality are what make a good villain. Good villains need to have motive for the reason why they do things. It just can't be, "I'm evil so I'm going to conquer the world." They have to have dimension. A good villain needs that edge so that the reader can look at him [or her and say, "I can understand why they're doing that." Darth Vader, for instance, is a very likable villain, even before we found about his past. He had a powerful presence and a motive, which was to serve The Emperor. Of course, we found out that he served The Emperor because he wanted to save Padme, but the point is that he wasn't just a villain for the sake of being a villain. On a side note, I think that one of the greatest and most fascinating things about the villain is that, in most cases, they don't think of themselves or the things they do as 'evil'. Most of the time, they feel that their actions are right and it's a very interesting take on Heroes and Villains because it's all about perspective. Anyway, The Ultimate Villain would have to be The Joker. Enough said. _

q. You made a comment about how a lot of stories slowed down when they tried to tie themselves to Heroes. Are there any that haven't, stories that, in your opinion, did it right? And did you use these stories to help yourself at all?

a. _Well, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Elsewhere. It's a tricky business to get a story to coincide with the show, and Mr. Chaos does it very well. [You saw that coming, didn't you? Ha ha um, and to answer the second question: No. Sadly, I did not use Elsewhere to help me with mine. Personally, I don't think I would've done Ordinary People any other way. I like the level of tie-ins I put into my story and I enjoy writing it in a style of my own._

q. Sometimes, an author will start a character out with one power in their mind, then change it when they begin writing. Did this happen to you at all? Did Alec or Dawn or someone else have a different power during your brainstorming, then get switched?

a. _Indeed. The three major characters that had power changes were Sarah, Will, and Jessica. Other characters like Scott, Destiny or some of the other Agents of Silence had different abilities but they were minor characters. Sarah - since I know you're dying to know what powers they used to have – was originally going to have the Power of Absorption. I don't think that's the actual name of it, but basically, she could touch a brick wall and her skin would become like brick. She could touch some water and her body would turn into water. Stuff like that. I don't recall why I changed it, but I do know that in her introduction chapter, when the tiger chased her, she had the Absorption powers. It wasn't until the next chapter did I change it. Will was originally going to have Animal Absorption, which was why I placed him in a zoo. He could be around an elephant and have its strength, or be around a fish and be able to breath underwater, or be around a bird and be able to fly. Actually, come to think about it, I think I changed both Sarah and Will's powers because they were too similar to each other. And Jessica, she was originally going to have the Power to Alter Reality but do it through wishes. If anybody noticed in the earlier chapters when she's first discovering her gift, she wishes for the plant to get better and she wishes for her pain to go away. So in the beginning, she had Reality Altering abilities but I changed it because it didn't serve my story's purpose and the power was too powerful. I mean, if she could alter reality, she could do whatever she wanted and that just wouldn't work. I'm happy with the changes I made, in case you're wondering._

q. Have you ever dream cast your story? That is, thought about who would be a good actor to portray your character if he or she was introduced on Heroes?

a. _That's a really good question. I'm not sure cos I'm really bad at casting actors. I'd have Elisha Cuthbert as Casey. _


	48. The City

The events after the explosion of the Washington Monument were exactly as the man in the future had predicted. A year has gone by after the destruction of New York City and the world has become a dark place. In an attempt to free a captured evolved human, the Ordinary People are surprised by a trap arranged by The Government's secret service and Sarah's actions have taunted an enemy within the police force.

CHAPTER THIRTY "THE CITY"

"How can something be so different than what was expected? I thought things were going to be okay. I never thought the world was going to turn out like this. No one ever talks about it. They don't need to. They just have to look out the window and see the living monument to destruction and death." – The Narrator

* * *

Dawn flew down to the driver's side and ripped the door off of its hinges.

A bright light blinded her.

Suddenly she was flung backwards by a strong concussive beam of energy. Her back skidded across the concrete, sending pieces of the sidewalk in various directions.

Casey stopped Alec before they got to the street. "What the hell was that?"

Wayne Rockwell, Secret Agent of the Government, stepped out of the car, his right hand still glowing within his palm. He pulled a lever near the driver's seat and opened the back door. Three individuals stepped out: Kelsey Walters, Connor Franklin, and Destiny McClaine.

The Government's Secret Service.

He turned to his cohorts and grinned. "We finally got 'em."

Wayne walked towards Dawn's fallen body followed closely by his teammates. She wriggled in the small indentation she lied within. A pulsating pain emanated from her chest. She looked up to see the man who had shot her. He reached down and picked her up by the shirt collar.

"Tell me where the other terrorists are and I promise not to hurt you."

She kept her mouth closed. Defiantly staring him in the eyes.

"Where are they?!"

In answer she knocked his hands off of her shirt and curled her fingers to attack.

Her fist connected with his chest.

Wayne he flew through the air until finally he crashed against the side of the transport vehicle.

Connor growled, aggressively moving in to punch her.

She caught his fist, bringing him closer to her. He made a swing at her face with his extra hand, but she blocked the attack and kicked him away.

Kelsey spread her feet evenly upon the road. She lifted her hands in front of her body. Unleashing a powerful shock wave of sound. The reverberation from her fingertips resembled the _sound of an explosion_. The wave sent a shockwave throughout the area, breaking glass and lampposts.

The sound waves collided with Dawn's body and sent her backwards into the side of a building, crumbling the wall on top of her.

Alec looked on in shock.

Casey grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Alec! We need to save Will!"

"What?" he blinked profusely, trying to connect with the moment. He shook his head but he couldn't shake the fact that he was about to go into battle. "What did you say?"

"Get Will and Dawn out of here! There's no way we can win against the government's special task force!"

He nodded his head. "Right. Okay. Let's go."

She smiled, happy to hear that he understood her. As he left to assist their friends, she turned her body into water. Power rushed into her fists. She took a deep breath and engaged the enemy in battle.

* * *

The sound of an explosion.

Sarah ran up a fire escape. Her feet clanged against the metal stairs. She made her way to the top and jumped onto the roof. She turned her attention to where the sound originated. As she did so, she tried to see of any smoke, but there was none. Only the sound, which echoed above the tops of buildings.

"What was that?" she whispered to herself.

Hurriedly, she made her way to the disturbance. Jumping over chimneys. Between gaps. Across clothes lines. Sarah soared over the buildings with such precision, it was like a graceful leaf running across the wind. Using the combination of her density manipulation, she quickly made her away across the city, finally ending on the edge of one exceptionally large building.

Below was a battle between two groups of evolved humans.

Two powerful groups of evolved humans.

And the city she swore to protect was in the middle.

She glanced down at the individuals involved. Some she knew and some she did not. Then her gaze fell upon the one group she wished was not there: Inspector Brown and The Police.

* * *

Inspector Brown led the police department to the scene once he heard the loud explosion. He expected to find his city in ruins, but instead he found the government's evolved human guards fighting against a group of evolved human terrorists. It did not matter to him. Their battle was creating a lot of damage to the city he swore to protect. Causing a lot of collateral damage. He aimed to put a stop to it.

"Bring the battle somewhere else!" he commanded.

Connor pushed him backwards. "I'm sorry, Inspector, but this has become a matter of national security."

"You're going to destroy the city!"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

He pushed the secret agent back. "Don't touch me, evolved human! This is my city, and those terrorists are destroying it."

"Which is exactly what we're going to put an end to. Now please-"

The Inspector punched him in the face. "You're going to get my help whether you want to or not."

* * *

Sarah jumped off of the building and down into the alley. Quietly, she evaded detection from the police force as she made her way to the battlefield. Casey and Alec's sudden appearance provoked her to meet up with them.

"Casey!" she called out to her.

She stopped. "Sarah? Thank God you're here, we need all the help we can get."

"No," Sarah stopped her from continuing. "I'm not here to help you."

Alec stood still. He didn't recognize who she was. He looked at Casey and back at Sarah as they conversed. It wasn't until her name was said again that he burst out in a joyous hug of his old friend. "Sarah! Oh my God, I didn't think I'd see you again."

She smiled at him. "It's good to see you too, Alec, but right now is not a good time." She turned back to Casey. "You need to move this battle somewhere else."

"I can't exactly control that, Sarah. I'm just trying to get Will out of there."

"Your fight is putting this city in unnecessary danger."

"Damn it, Sarah. If you're not going to help me, then get out my way." Casey brushed passed her while simultaneously dialing a number on her cellular phone. "Tara! We're going to need some cover fire!"

Bullet fire from the top floor shot down at the secret agents in combat.

Alec turned to Sarah and smiled again. "It's good to see you. We'll talk again later." And with that, he disappeared.

* * *

Dawn flew into the air in an attempt to evade the constant barrage of laser fire from Wayne, but his accurate aimed blasts ended any chance of escape. A well-placed laser beam to her back sent her flying back down to earth. She crash-landed with an enormous upsurge of dust and road material.

Kelsey rushed over her body. She put her hands over Dawn's ears and concentrated a sonic pulse to disrupt her mental faculties.

Dawn cringed in anguish. The sound was unbearable. It continued until she could not handle it anymore. With a sigh of defeat, she let go and collapsed.

Wayne smiled with satisfaction.

Destiny opened a com-link to her teammates. "I'm picking up three more."

Casey opened her hand, shooting out a strong, pressurized shot of water at Kelsey. The stream struck her in the side and sent her fumbling down to the ground.

The leader of the secret agents growled. "Thanks for the warning-"

Alec charged forward running at high speeds into Wayne, tackling him down. He was still new to the whole experience of fighting another evolved human, but Alec knew how to use his powers to an advantage. Speeding up his arms, he punched Wayne several times in his armored chest.

He took every hit. The armor cracked under the strikes. He allowed the young man to fall into a false sense of security and as soon as he took a breath, Wayne punched him in the face. Alec was caught off guard before Wayne kicked him off.

Alec fell on his back, but quickly recovered. He looked at Casey. She was determined to win. And so was he. Increasing his speed, he ran around his opponent, creating a vortex of punches where he couldn't block them.

Wayne could only stand still and take the pain.

Kelsey struggled to get back up as the powerful force of Casey's water pressure continued to push her down. Calmly, she concentrated all of her power into a focused pulse so she could shoot a sound wave through the water stream and at Casey.

A loud clap of sound exploded from her hands, traveled up the stream and onto Casey. She flew back and landed on her back.

Wayne held his ground, jerking this way and that as furious punches seemingly struck out of nowhere in random arrangements. He tensed his muscles as more attacks came against his skin.

Finally, he opened his hands on each side of his body. A blinding flash of light erupted from his palms. If he couldn't see where his attacker was, he wouldn't allow his attacker to see at all.

Alec stopped where he was with his hands up to his eyes.

Wayne moved in with well-aimed shots to the young man's stomach.

He doubled over, holding his stomach. As best as he could, Alec tried to block the oncoming strikes, but he could not see. Awkwardly, he held his hands up in a blocking position to try and fend off the blows. But Wayne wasted no time disposing of the amateur.

A bullet ripped past his head.

He looked up at the windows on the top floor. Shots were undoubtedly coming from that position. He fired a few blasts in the general direction to allow himself some time to get out of the sniper's cross hairs.

He pulled Connor aside. "Get rid of those snipers!"

The Invisible Man turned to the Inspector. "You want to be useful? Get two squads of men to the top floor of those two buildings and take out those snipers."

Inspector Brown nodded his head. He grabbed the nearby tactical officer. "Take your team and take the sniper on the left. I'll take the rest and take out the other."

"Yes, Sir," he replied.

"Move out!"

* * *

She blocked a punch, spun around and tried to deliver a punch of her own.

Kelsey expertly knocked the attack away and kicked her in the face.

Regaining her balance, Casey turned her arm into water and whipped her it around like a whip. The quick attack sliced across the secret agent's face, leaving an opportunity to strike again. Casey put her arms together and launched another water blast, creating a powerful barrel of water that collided into Kelsey's body.

Casey stood up. She saw the police officers storm into the buildings which Tara and Danny resided. She also saw Alec getting severely beaten by the secret service's best fighter. To her left, Sarah was fighting the youngest member of the secret service.

"Sarah!" Casey called out. "The children!"

Sarah head-butt Destiny with extreme density and knocked her out. She looked at the S.W.A.T Officers storm inside the structure that held Danny. Not wanting the children to get harmed, she nodded to her old friend to tell her that she got the message and decreased her density, floating to the top floor before the police could get there.

* * *

Alec fell on his back. A bloody nose. Probably a few cracked ribs. He lied on the floor trying to regain as much energy as he could to continue the fight, but it did him little good since his vision was considerably blurred.

Wayne kicked him in the face. "So you are the infamous terrorists who keep terrorizing our facilities. I expected better-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a water fist collided with his head. He fell to the ground as a flood pushed him into the overturned escort vehicles.

She bent down. "Are you okay?"

"What? Me?" He laughed, wincing at the pain. "Never better."

"Liar," she smirked.

Something struck her face. She dropped his body. She fell back.

Another mysterious object attacked her body. She tried to get up but she was lifted off the ground and thrown back down.

She was being attacked by an invisible force.

Sensing the danger, she somersaulted away from where the attacks came from and ran towards a nearby fire hydrant. Just as she got there, the invisible force punched her in the face. Grabbing at the wall for balance, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the powerful force held within the yellow object. The nuts and bolts shook as the pressure rose higher and higher until it popped off, exploding into the sky like a steaming geyser.

The water flew upwards. Rained down upon the young woman.

She turned her flesh into liquid as she squinted her eyes to see the figure of an invisible man among the waterfall from the broken hydrant. Using the element around her, she focused all of her energy on the broken outline of a man. The gushing water switched directions and pummeled the man just for a moment.

Gunshots rang out from the top floors of the buildings.

Casey looked up. "Danny!"

Suddenly she flew back into the wall, slamming against the hard cement.

Kelsey stood in front of her. Hands outstretched. Shooting her with wave after wave of vibrating sound.

Casey fell on the floor. Defeated.

The secret agent grinned. She pulled out a pair of handcuffs and started walking towards her still body.

Alec rolled onto his stomach. Straining. Straining to get up. He looked forward to see one of the government's secret service agents walk over to a beaten Casey, ready to finish her off. With all of his strength, he stood up and swiftly raced towards her. It took all he could give to go fast enough to make the world stand still. He grabbed her body in his arms. For a quick second he looked at the woman who had beaten Casey. Her face. Her displeasure. Without another glance, he switched gears and allowed time to return back to normal.

* * *

Danny held his rifle between his cradled legs, cautiously keeping his breathing to a minimum as he hid in a small crevice in a closet. The few S.W.A.T officers that came through first were met with a face full of bullets, but a few managed to beat him with their rifles before he quietly got away to another room. Blood trickled down his forehead. His face was dirty. His clothes were torn. And he tried his best to calm himself.

The door to the room burst open. The police were dispatched to every room in an attempt to locate the missing boy. They filed in, weapons drawn, ready for another confrontation.

He held his breath. Trying to fight back the tears that rolled down his dusty face. Sometimes, with all of the action and commotion that went on in his life, he forgot that he was still a kid. And kids aren't supposed to know how to fire an AK47, or know how to defend themselves against police officers.

Flashlights roamed across the walls. They stormed the internal rooms, opening pantry doors and overturning beds. An officer kicked down the door to the room that Danny hid in. He opened the dresser. Checked in the corners. Overturned the bed. Until he came to the closet.

Danny bit his lip in anticipation.

The door opened. The flashlight peaked its head into the darkness. Searching for the fugitive terrorist.

Danny hugged closer to the wall, hoping that he would not be seen. His finger inched its way to the trigger just in case things called for another escape.

Suddenly the flashlight fell to the ground.

A muffled grunt and the sound of a body falling.

"Danny?" a voice whispered. "Danny, are you in here?"

He crawled out of his hiding space. A woman stood in the room over an unconscious police officer. "Who are you?"

"It's me, Sarah."

"Sarah?" he asked in complete awe.

"I know I look different, but there's no time to explain. Come on," she took his hand. "I need to get you out of here."

"No, wait," he pulled away. "Go across the street to my sister. I can handle myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." He wanted to make sure that his sister was safe.

She sighed. "Fine." Quietly, her body became less dense and she fell through the floor.

Danny took a deep breath before climbing out of the window. Keeping his weapon close at hand, he climbed down the fire escape to the back alley where there were fewer officers about. Will's unconscious body hung limp in the hands of the secret service agents as they brought him into the transport vehicle.

He pulled out his cell phone to his ear.

The dial tone rang.

And rang.

"Come on, Tara," he bit his lip. "Pick up."

It rang.

It rang again.

He looked up at the building she stationed herself. "Pick up. Pick-"

The top floor exploded. The top floor of the building he was just in exploded as well. One after the other. Shattered glass fell to the streets below. Pieces of granite and stone crashed into the sidewalk. Fire and smoke spewed from the broken windows. It roared. Smoke drifted into the night sky.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!"

A few police officers on standby heard his shocked expression and assembled to apprehend him.

With tears in his eyes, he shot a few rounds before fleeing down the alley and towards the warehouse.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	49. Ghosts

The events after the explosion of the Washington Monument were exactly as the man in the future had predicted. A year has gone by after the destruction of New York City and the world has become a dark place. The group has been separated after the battle in the city and their whereabouts are unknown. In the end, all hope seems lost…

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE "GHOSTS"

"They're like memories, except they haven't happened. It's like I remembered them, but they're already gone. A different reality. A separate timeline. There's no way to really tell the difference, but the people are the same, only the incidents are different. And I remember them. Like ghosts in my mind. I remember them." – The Narrator

(Alec and Casey – The Warehouse)

"Where are they?" Alec whispered to himself. "They should've been here by now."

After the destructive battle between the two factions, Alec brought Casey to the warehouse where the rest of the group was supposed to rendezvous. But nobody had arrived. It was only the two of them in an empty building. It was an abandoned warehouse, where the fingerprints of workers long gone remained on the dusty boxes. Time had unraveled the wood. Nature had engulfed the steel.

There were no longer anything in the boxes and overturned crates. Whatever lay inside was ransacked way before they had arrived. Spiders inhabited their webs, delicately spindling the strong string in a dark corner. Dust particles floated in the air and lifted off when a breeze affected them. It was an abandoned warehouse, where Alec waited to regroup.

Alec found a suitable area where overturned crates and boxes made a wall that encircled half of a corner, making a sort of fort. Just out of sight from anybody coming inside the warehouse, but just enough for Alec to peek out and see who would enter.

But nobody had entered.

Casey was still unconscious. The fight took a lot more out of her than he expected. And she seemed to be doing so well. Her hand-to-hand combat was more than what he expected her to ever know. And she used her ability so fluently. She wasn't as powerful as she could be nor was her ability all that powerful, but she definitely held her own and Alec was more than impressed with her.

She had changed so much.

(Will and Dawn – Unknown)

He touched the bridge of his forehead out of pure frustration and anger. His sigh was well heard by anyone who was in the room. The Invisible Man, known as Connor Franklin, wanted so much to get rid of the prisoners because they were a waste of his time, but his orders were for interrogation. His body was tense. Connor had been that way for some time, and the intensity continued to grow as time went on.

He leaned on the table and rested his foot on the chair. With another sigh, he took a deep breath and continued. "Where are they?"

She shook her head. Mouth shut and lips curled.

He slammed his fist into the table, angrily kicking the chair into the wall in front of him. Connor's partner stood still, glancing at the small indent it had made.

Connor grabbed Dawn by her shoulders and shook her. "I know you're working with Petrelli and Nakamura! Tell me where they are!"

Dawn grinned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

His eyes harshly examined her face before he pulled out a weapon from his belt. It was in the form of a thick stick with a flattened end. He pressed a button on the side and shoved it into her chest.

An electric jolt sprung throughout her body.

For the next couple of seconds, all she felt was pain.

Connor retracted his weapon, placing it back on his belt. With anger and disgust, he kicked her in the face. She fell backwards in the chair. Her restraints rattled as she hit the ground.

He angrily turned towards his partner. "Bring him to the Dark Room. He _is_ going to talk. Whether he wants to or not."

Mr. Blaire nodded his head and moved forward.

* * *

She stirred.

He rushed to her. "Casey," he muttered.

She opened her eyes. Her gaze fell upon the man's soft face. Full of love. Full of kindness. Happily she smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied.

Casey rested on the floor, her arms underneath her head, allowing a softness the concrete floor of the warehouse could not supply.

He lied down beside her. "You were out for a while." He paused. "I wasn't sure if you'd wake up."

She rolled over onto her side, placing her arm across his chest.

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Really?" Casey said quietly. Her head inched over his shoulder.

He chuckled. "I'd probably go kill that woman for killing you. Epic like a good action movie."

"Come on," she scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm a lot tougher than you give me credit for."

He leaned into her lips. "I'm just glad you're okay."

She closed her eyes and allowed him to turn her over so she was on her back. Her arms slowly wrapped themselves around his waist. Their breath intertwined like the winds of a summer day. Hot. Breathtaking.

"I love you," he couldn't help but say.

She smiled at him.

He smiled back.

And she kissed him again.

* * *

The wind blew open the window. It soared into the room, traveling low to the ground and upwards onto the ceiling. Tara sat on the bed. The wind blew all around her, pushing her dark and dirty hair into her face. She sternly remained where she was. Rebelliously fighting against it.

Sarah quickly closed it. After twisting the lock, she stayed near the window. Looking out into the city. A city that was raging with violence and turmoil. She took a deep breath.

The battle in the city was just the beginning.

A destroyed city block. Two exploded buildings. More damage was going to happen.

Tara remained on the bed. Her clothes were burnt. Scorched. Tattered. The explosion had almost killed her if it weren't for the stranger. But Tara was cautious. A stranger could always be an enemy. She had her arms crossed, her lips sealed, and her eyes narrowed on the strange person that stood at the window.

Sarah finally turned away. Her eyes fell upon the young girl. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Tara defiantly looked away.

Sarah decided to try again, deciding to try another tactic. "Where's your rendezvous point?"

Tara glared at her. "I'm not talking. I may be your prisoner, but you'll never get a word out of me."

"Prisoner?" Sarah laughed. "I don't think you understand."

She pouted her lips and turned away again.

Sarah chuckled again. "You look the same, Tara."

Tara's mouth partially went ajar.

She grinned.

"How do you know my name?"

"It's me. Sarah."

The young girl slowly looked over the woman. Her voice sounded oddly familiar, but the face was totally different. Tara took her time examining her face. Trying to remember her. Trying to remember Sarah. Tara never forgot the woman who left with her father and never returned. She never forgot the things that she did to them. Used them. Destroyed their house. All of the memories and feelings were fresh in her mind. But they didn't register with the person who stood in front of her.

Sarah smiled again and took a step forward. "You don't recognize me, do you?"

Tara still had an expression of confusion.

"I had a little makeover to hide my identity, but I used to be an FBI Agent who became a fugitive when I decided to help another criminal. His name was Alec Lions."

"You look nothing like her."

"I met a man named Mike."

His image flashed before Tara's eyes for an instant.

"He was your father."

She opened her eyes. Seeing the woman who stood in front of her and then seeing the person that she remembered her as. Her palm covered her mouth as silence enveloped the room. All she could do was stare at her. And let her anger grow.

Sarah took another step. "Tara?"

"You," she whispered.

She moved closer.

"You!" she screamed. Showing the first motivated movement since arriving to the apartment, Tara ran to the woman with her fists clenched and her teeth bared. The memory of her dead father was too strong. She blamed her for too long. Tara didn't know what else to do but hit her.

Sarah did not defend herself. She saw the pain in her eyes. She heard the anguish in her voice. She didn't understand the reason why she was being hit, but she could understand the pain of hearing her father's name again. Saying it left an odd taste in her mouth.

"You killed him!" Tara screamed.

Sarah did not move.

"He's gone because of you!"

Her fists became weak. Her legs trembled. Her eyes watered at the corners.

The older woman gently placed her hand underneath the girl's arms and supported her fragile frame. The girl allowed Sarah to bring her to the bed. She didn't want to fight anymore. She didn't want to yell. She just wanted to see her father again.

"Tara," she whispered in a calm, soothing voice.

She wiped her eyes with her dirty sleeve, leaving a caked smear of dirt across her cheek.

"Tara," she whispered again. "I blame myself too."

She glared at her. "You _should_ blame yourself."

"I deserve that. I deserve that because I was a very different person in the past. I was a completely different person than I am today." Sarah used her finger to gently raise the girl's head to look into her eyes. "But your father did not die for nothing. He taught me that I had a choice. He taught me that I could choose my own destiny."

Tara looked away.

"You can hate me. But your father is the reason why I prowl the rooftops every night. Looking for the criminals of the city. I bring them to justice."

Tara looked down at her feeble hands. She closed her eyes and tried to hold back the tears.

* * *

Casey and Alec sat beside each other. They were leaning against the crate with their backs to the entrance, sitting together in complete silence. They were content with being next to the other person, not a word had to be said. Just being there with them was enough.

She had her arm locked within his and her head upon his shoulder. She breathed slowly, allowing the pain of her wounds to slide easily across her body instead of one sharp pain after another. Alec took a deep breath. His fingers were intertwined with hers. He gently laid his head on top of hers and stared off at the other crates without a particular reason of looking.

His mind was actually on something else besides Casey.

He looked down at her for a moment. Her soft breathing. It was so gentle. It was the way he remembered her. He remembered her sitting on the train, making the raindrops flow unnaturally in the other direction, and thinking about what they would do with their lives. Now he saw her sitting on the floor beside him, after a large fight where she was almost killed, and he was still thinking about their future together. But this time it was even more uncertain.

Alec had a lot of answers. Many things that had filled in the missing gaps of the past year. But there was still one question that never got answered. A question that was burning to be let loose.

"Casey?" he began.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember the question that I asked you earlier?"

"Which one was that?"

"About Justin."

She bit her lip. She paused. Casey didn't want to be the one to tell him, she wanted so much to avoid that question because she feared how he might react. Quickly, she cleared her throat. "Um, what about him?"

His voice became stronger. "Where is he?"

She cleared her throat again, nervously taking her head off of his shoulder. "Good question. Where _is_ everybody? They should be here by now-"

"Stop dodging the question, Casey."

"I'm not-"

"Where is he? I asked you before and you completely ignored me. I asked you now and you ignore me again."

"I don't want-"

"Please, Casey. What happened?"

"He's dead! Okay?!" she burst out unexpectedly.

Immediately she covered her mouth, embarrassed and shamed by her sudden outbreak of confused anger. She stared at his face. His eyes. The hope within them dimmed until there was only darkness. He let go of her hand. His mouth hung loose. He didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that."

He looked at the ground. He didn't know how to answer.

"It's… talking about him isn't very easy for me. And he was your best friend… I didn't… I don't want you to go through the pain... and hearing it from somebody else… Alec, please don't be mad at me."

"How?"

"What?"

"How did he die?" he whispered.

"At the hospital…"

"What was he doing at a hospital?"

"The day that the Washington Monument exploded… he was beaten by a gangster because he didn't do something they wanted him to do. A job that went wrong. I don't recall what it was, but they wanted to kill him… he was in really bad shape and I took him to the hospital…"

Alec closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that he felt.

"I'm sorry, Alec," she swallowed the guilt that hung high in her throat. The guilt that she held for keeping his best friend's death hidden from him. "I… I didn't know how I would tell you."

Alec shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"But you would've been proud of him. He protected us, Alec, from the gangsters. Me, Danny, Tara. All of us. He sacrificed himself for us… and for you."

Alec's voice was low, almost a whisper. His eyes were red and glossy. "Really?"

"He told me to find you, Alec. Before he passed on, he made me promise that I would find you. That I would free you."

He wiped his eyes, a small laugh escaping from his mouth. "He would do something like that." He chuckled a little bit more remembering the good qualities of his friend. "Did you know he stayed with us because he wanted an adventure? He ran away with me because it sounded like fun. He had the purest heart out of anybody I ever knew."

Casey smiled. "He was a good person. One of the best."

"He was my best friend."

She kissed him on the cheek. "I know."

The double doors to the warehouse slid open. The wind from the outside rushed in and a figure fell in with it. Alec and Casey spun their heads around to see who it was.

A young boy slid across the ground, on his hands and knees, breathing hard, blood ran down from his right temple. His clothes were dirty and ragged, a torn piece of fabric hung here and there. His rifle was slung over his shoulder. It dragged on the floor as he slowly moved across the cold cement.

"Danny!" Casey exclaimed.

* * *

Mr. Blaire looked at Dawn. He smirked at her unfortunate position. She didn't want to talk when asked. Now she was going to talk when tortured. With his large, strong hands, he grabbed the back of the chair and brought her back to a sitting position. He unchained her arms and legs, finally grabbing her arm to take her to the Dark Room.

Dawn closed her eyes and transferred herself into his body.

Will shook his head, a little bit shaken from the transference. "What took you so long?"

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You could've possessed one of them earlier so that my body wouldn't have to have been shocked." He rubbed his chest. "I still know what's going on when you're in me."

"Hey," she childishly put her hands on her hips and bobbled her head back in forth so that her next word would carry more meaning. "It hurt me too, you know."

Will sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, despite that fact, we still need to find a way out of here."

Dawn looked over her new body, inspecting the man's well-built physique, his strong hands, powerful legs. She flexed her arms to get an idea of his strength. As she did so, she realized that there was a small rectangular camera in the corner of the room. She stuck her face up to the lens, as if she could see the people on the other side. "Hey, Will?" she perked up.

He made an audible grunt to tell her that he at least acknowledged her.

"You think this camera is working?"

"What?!" This time he was paying attention. Turning around he saw the small machine. A small light bulb in the corner of it shone a bright red glow. "Damn. I didn't notice that."

"Neither did I."

"Come on, let's get out of here. I'll think of a plan later," Will said moving towards the wall. He reached out to test its breakability. As he did, a surge of high voltage ran through his body, electrocuting his hand and sending him to the ground.

"They must have an electric fence around this room," Dawn commented.

Will scowled. "You think?!"

She kneeled down beside him. "Are you okay?"

"I think I'll be all right. I just have to lie here for a little bit."

The room suddenly became dark; a blinking red light pulsated over and over again.

"You think they turned on an alarm?"

Will slowly got up. "Yeah, I think they did." He squinted his eyes. The red flashes of light provided a minimal amount of visual confirmation that there was any way to get out.

"Will!"

"What? Do you have an idea?"

"This guy has powers."

"Really?"

"Hold on." She closed her eyes and concentrated on the strength the man had within him. Over the months, Dawn had learned how to use her powers to get information from the person that she was possessing. Information meant anything and everything that person knew. Including how to tap into their particular gift.

Dawn clenched her fist as a rock-like armor covered over her skin. It traveled up her arm, across her torso, down her legs and up her face. The rock only covered her skin and not over the fashionable suit that Mr. Blaire was wearing, traveling underneath the material. She felt her strength increase.

She opened her eyes and inspected herself. "Whoa."

Will nodded his head in agreement.

Dawn looked at the wall and the back at her fist. She grinned. "Let's bust outa here."

* * *

They huddled around him. Supporting his weak body.

Alec kneeled down and looked into his eyes. "What happened?"

"I think they're dead… Will… Dawn… Tara… all of them."

Casey made him look at her. "Danny. Tell me exactly what happened."

He wiped the water from his eyes. "S.W.A.T stormed in. The building that I was in - they surprised me, but I was able escape. I hid in another room. Sarah – Sarah! She saved me. She looks totally different!" His eyes were wild. He rambled on and on. Incoherent sentences. "I managed to get away – I… I told Sarah to save Tara. She left. I escaped. And then they exploded… the top floors." He became still, as if remembering the moment again. "Boom."

Alec stood up. "Holy crap."

Casey stood up as well, her hands on her hips, trying to think of the next move. She paced unevenly in a frustrated cycle. Back and forth. Forth and Back. She pressed her fingers against her temples. She tried to make sense of Danny's information and formulate a decent strategy.

"They're coming," Danny whispered. "They were right behind me."

"Who?" Alec asked.

"Those guys who attacked us back there! They were chasing me!"

Casey closed her eyes. She needed to think of a plan.

"We're all going to die."

"Shut up, Danny," she growled. "We're not going to die. Understand? Say it with me: 'We are not going to die'."

He took a deep breath. "We are not going to die."

"That's better."

Alec smashed his fist into his palm. "We can take 'em."

"No," she shook her head. "No we can't. They've seen our faces. We've fought them and almost lost. We need to hide."

Danny cradled his gun.

Alec closed the doors of the warehouse. "You have a secret hide out base or something?"

She shook her head again. "I know of something better."

Danny watched her limp towards the back exit. He glanced at Alec before following her.

"Where are we going?"

Casey didn't turn around. "We're going to see The Mother."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!

**Questions from Readers:**

q. Did you ever put things from the show in your story as in-jokes? Did people catch on to them?

_a. I've put a lot of inside jokes in the Ordinary People that only I, or the people who know me, get and understand. For example, every character in the story has a first or last name of someone that I know personally. Alec Lions is a combination of a friend named "Alec" and a friend with the last name "Lions". So, ha-ha, basically only one person who reads Ordinary People caught on to the inside jokes because that one person is my cousin and knows my friends. There are also inside jokes in the chapter titles. Every chapter title is a lyric of a song from a band that I like. The first season was Keane lyrics, the second season was Coldplay lyrics and the third season is The Hush Sound lyrics. Only Sakura123 got the Keane references, which made me happy.. [For the record, I spent a long time choosing specific lyrics from songs to get the titles to match the chapters. A long process_

q. Heroes is a diverse world. How does and author decide when to make a character a different ethnicity then the rest of the cast? Why?

a. _How does an author decide? I don't know how an author decides. Probably brainstorming. Personally, I don't choose the ethnicity because it shouldn't matter. I write the characters and if the audience wants to picture the characters as a certain ethnicity then that's fantastic. In Ordinary People, I described the characters vaguely so that it was the character themselves that the audience liked and not the nationality or ethnicity. In my opinion, it shouldn't matter what ethnicity they are._

q. Lets say you could put your characters in any comic world (DC, Marvel, etc). Which would your guys and girls best fit in?

a. _I don't know which Universe Ordinary People would fit into. Marvel has created some awesome believable characters, teams, story lines and what not, but DC has also created some of the greatest heroes in comic history… so, not that I'm saying Marvel is better than DC or DC is better than Marvel, or anything like that, but I think Ordinary People could fit in with either Universe. Or maybe I should make up my own comic book universe called The Bob Universe._


	50. The Lighthouse

The events after the explosion of the Washington Monument were exactly as the man in the future had predicted. A year has gone by after the destruction of New York City and the world has become a dark place. With the ordinary people split up, they must fend for themselves. Fight for their survival. Rely on strangers.

A guiding light is what they are lacking. How will they move on in the darkness?

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO "LIGHTHOUSE"

"Every single flash is like a luminance of light. A single image that tells me what was supposed to happen. Or what _could_ happen. Only for a moment can I see the brightness that it shows. But every chance I get, I hold on to it because it's better than what I see now. It's better than the truth." – The Narrator

* * *

The solid wall shook slightly at first. Soon a crack began to form within the foundation. With each strike, a spark from the electrical fence exploded from the critical point. Finally, a tremendous blow to the side broke open a hole, where a rock covered fist protruded. After several more attacks, a large opening on the barricade became visible.

(Will and Dawn – Unknown)

Dawn dusted off her rocky hands. "That ought to do it."

The early morning sun was rising higher, providing light to the escapees. It inched across the ground until it came upon the ruble and debris, filtering through the darkness of the interrogation room and filling it with brightness.

From the inside, it sounded as if the high voltage electrical fence had activated a silent alarm. But that was only inside. Outside, a blaring warning to the inhabitants of the area shouted above the sound of orders and commands. It resonated into the interrogation area where Will and Dawn remained.

Will took a step out of the room, absolutely confounded by his surroundings. He stepped onto dirt and in front of him were unpredictable rows of trees that made the frontline of a forest. The green hue of nature was an odd contrast to the silver glow of the city.

"Where are we?" he asked into the air.

Dawn looked around in the same confused awe. "It looks like we're in a forest, Bill."

"But why?"

"Don't move, evolved human!" a voice said from behind. "Power down."

Dawn turned around, grinning from ear to ear. Behind them were soldiers, dressed in black uniforms. Their helmets covered their faces and protected their heads. Their artillery suit protected their bodies. In their hands were rifles, loaded and ready to be fired.

"Oh, hello. How are you?" she said to them.

"Power down. This is your last warning."

With an absurd laugh, she took off in the opposite direction. She passed by Will and exclaimed, "Run!" before running off into the woods.

* * *

Three individuals walked down the sidewalk, huddled close together like a pack of wolves, looking out for one another, and watching out for any predators. The streets were not yet filled with the normal pedestrian flow of business people, travelers, or even other evolved humans trying to avoid discriminations and prejudice. The curfew was still in progress, and there was no telling when officers would come by looking for evolved humans anyway.

Casey tried her best to walk normal, but her leg was either broken or very severely bruised. She had Alec supporting her as she walked. All she wanted to do was get to the Mother as quickly as possible. And the sooner the better. Especially in the arriving daylight.

Danny kept his rifle hidden underneath a jacket that he had found on their way to downtown Philadelphia, where The Mother's mansion resided. Quietly, he hugged closely to the only two people who had abilities that could protect him if anything should happen.

Alec breathed through the pain of his own wounds. Casey obviously had the worst of all of them. But he was positive that he had a few broken ribs.

As they came closer to their destination, Alec began to ask questions. "Who is this Mother that we're going to go see? How can she help us?"

Casey kept her voice low. "Don't say her name too loudly. There are plenty of people who would like to hurt her because of what she does." She took a quick glance around at the stranger's faces before turning back to her conversation. "She is the only person that will help us stay hidden for a while."

"Is she like us?"

"Yeah."

Danny spied the growing crowd. His hand was always on his weapon.

Casey winced and grabbed her leg. She took a deep breath and continued. "There are certain rules that we need to follow when we're in the presence of The Mother. Understand?"

The two of them nodded their heads.

"The first is that only one of us talks. She is a very busy and important person who doesn't have a lot of time to deal with people like us. It is a privilege that she would even see us, let alone do anything about our problems. But she does it anyway, so I will get right to the point and tell her why we're there."

Alec nodded his head. So did Danny.

"Second, we are guests in her household. We do not touch anything or do anything that might offend her. She has a body guard that is quite powerful from what I hear."

"She sounds like some sort of God."

"She might as well be."

"Have you ever met her before?"

"No. But I know people that have."

Alec took a deep breath. "I hope she can help us."

From the direction of Casey's extended finger, they took a left onto a dirt road lined with trees that made a shaded canopy across the perfectly mounded dirt road. The farther down they went, the more beautiful the flowers became. The more elegant the green became. The more luscious the garden looked.

They stopped in front of a large front gate. There were pillars made of brick that were placed every couple of yards across the large area. Between the brick pillars were the golden rods that made the rest of the fenced gate. There was an emblem in the middle of the rods. It resembled a lighthouse, giving guidance and light in a terrible storm.

Casey straightened herself and pushed open the front entrance, moving through the entry to a long road that led to the Lighthouse Mansion, home of The Mother of Hope. The Maiden of Life. Together, the three individuals moved across the road towards the possibility of something better.

(Sarah and Tara – Sarah's Apartment)

"Are you okay?"

The young girl sat dejected on the edge of the mattress. A few crumpled pieces of toilet paper dry from a few minutes of tears were still in her hand. A wipe under the nose and a calming breath made her nod her head in silence.

Sarah looked at the girl. She looked so helpless. So sad. So pitiful. It was odd so look at someone who had such a confidence about herself and then see her reduced to tears, an outlook of weakness in a frame of complete hostility. Sarah hardly knew Tara, even when she first met her she didn't really have an understanding of who she was, but from what she saw Tara seemed like a powerfully confident young woman. A person who took control of her life and didn't take any crap from anyone.

But there was a heart underneath that hard exterior.

A girl who had to grow without a strong father figure.

Sarah didn't blame her for hardening so much after the death of her father. Mike was a very special man. Wise. Loving. A father who would hear the problems of his children and try to solve them without compromising. Without taking away their dignity.

Tara put up her façade to hide the fact that she actually needed him. Once he disappeared from her life, there was nobody to rely on and thus she believed that she could do anything by herself. She had gotten so far that way. But then again, she never thought that his name would make it back to her life from the mouth of someone she apparently hated.

Sarah sat down next to her. She did not say a word.

"The building that I was in blew up and so did the one next to mine, didn't it?"

She nodded her head.

"My younger brother was in that building."

"I'm sure he's fine. He told me he could handle himself."

Tara stood straight, gently nudging the tip of her nose with the thin piece of cloth. "I've learned how to deal with death. I'll be fine."

"You don't know if he's dead, Tara."

"And you don't know if he's alive."

Sarah could only admit the truth.

"Why does this keep happening to me?"

"What?"

"Death… why does everyone I love die?"

She remained silent. Sarah did not know how to answer the question in a way that wouldn't upset her.

Tara repeated the question.

"I don't know, Tara. It doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"They were good people. Why did they leave me?"

Sarah made her look into her eyes. "Tara, your family did not _leave _you. Okay? They did not abandon you."

"So, they were taken from me."

She shrugged her shoulders. In silence, she put her arm around her and cradled her.

Tara wiped a stray tear. She gently pushed Sarah away. "I know what you're trying to do, Sarah. I don't need it."

"Your questions say different."

"I'll deal with this like I dealt with everything else, okay?"

Sarah stood up and put her jacket on. Apparently there was no reaching her. Sarah wanted to be an outlet Tara could confide in. But she was too stubborn, too prideful to allow any outside help. "Fine," she said. "So you think you can handle this all by yourself. I won't refute that." She put her hands into her gloves. "So where's your rendezvous point? If you're done recuperating here, I guess I should take you back to your team."

She nodded her head. "Right, they're probably waiting for me. It's the abandoned warehouse on Green Haven."

Sarah stepped out of the window and onto the fire escape. She left the window slightly open. "Grab your stuff. Let's go."

They traveled down to the alley between Sarah's apartment building and the one next to it. There were garages lined up within the brick wall, each one identical to the next. Sarah went to the third one from left, put a key into the lock and rolled opened the door.

Tara took a peek inside.

A sleek, black Honda CBR 1100 XX, also called The Blackbird, was parked on its side. Sarah took a seat. She beckoned Tara to get on. Handing her the Helmet, Sarah revved the engine and pulled out of the garage. In the slow morning, two people raced down the road in a blurry streak.

* * *

He knocked on the door.

Alec took a step back and waited for an answer. He looked up at the large entrance doorway. A wooden piece of wood, well crafted into a door that was well over seven feet. A small window at the top allowed the sun to enter into the doorway, in a sense welcoming visitors. Alec went back to Casey and became her support once more.

The doorway opened. A well-built man came outside and closed it behind him. He looked at Danny, then to Alec and finally at Casey. His inspecting eyes sized them up. Looked for weaknesses. In their case, it was relatively easy.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Casey nodded to her support so that he would allow her to walk on her own. She took a step forward. "Casey Walker."

"What are you looking for?"

She thought for a moment. The questions were a test to find out if someone was worthy of even seeing The Mother. They _needed_ to see her, so she wanted to give the best answers. Finally she nodded her head and spoke up. "I am looking for escape from injustice. I am searching for The Mother of Hope."

He nodded his head and opened the door. "Follow me."

The mansion was an extravagant art of architecture. Corridors and hallways littered every corner. Various rooms and doorways left the question of infinite possibilities. The mansion was enormous. There was an atmosphere of greatness. The powerful paintings and sculptures of Gods and knights. Each symbolized a sense of hope. If anybody could help them it would be her.

The bodyguard stopped in the middle of a large oval room. He turned toward the guests. "I apologize for the questions. They may be an inconvenience but they were a necessary test. She will be with you shortly." He entered into a small door to the right and disappeared from view.

In front of them was a throne. A symbol of ruler ship.

Casey took a deep breath.

The door opened.

All eyes turned towards it.

A woman walked out. Beautiful beyond belief. Her hair was layered perfectly on her head, the bangs just above her eyebrows and the locks lowered below her shoulders. It was a dark almond brown, complimenting her complexion. Her eyes drew attention to themselves. Radiant. Full of greatness. Full of kindness. But also full of power. Her face emitted a glow, a sense that she called for respect. Her body was like an hourglass, curvaceous and healthy. With just a glance, she put them all at ease.

The Mother took her seat on the throne.

The bodyguard stood beside her.

The Mother nodded her head, allowing Casey to speak.

"I come to ask of your kindness. We are fugitives of the law. Hunted by the government because they fear us. I have heard that you can change people's appearances. You can give us new identities."

"I cannot give you a new identity. I can give you a new face. New fingerprints. But your identity stays with you."

"We need to hide. Please, Mother of Hope, Maiden of Life," Casey pleaded. "Please grant us this one request."

The Mother nodded her head. "Come forward."

She did so.

Her hand gently touched her face, allowing her power to flow from her fingertips and onto the girl's face. She felt the molecules of her organic tissue, she manipulated it, changed it with just a thought. She changed her molecular structure, changed her general appearance, and even healed her broken and battered body.

Casey felt a slight tingling across her body and she felt the changes taking place.

The Mother smiled. "Send me the boy."

Danny approached her. She gave him a reassuring smile and touched his face. The transformation was done in an instant.

Alec took a step forward. He calmly closed his eyes and allowed her to change him. He felt refreshed. His skin was revitalized. His body was rejuvenated. Alec opened his eyes to see her sincere smile.

He turned around and joined the other two.

The Mother nodded her head. "Target, you may escort them out now."

The Bodyguard nodded his head and had them follow him to the exit.

The Mother watched the three of them leave. She exhaled slowly and left the throne and back into her room.

* * *

Dawn ran through the forest, jumping over fallen trees and stumps, breaking through bushes. Trying her best to run as fast as she could. In her mind, Dawn was actually playing a game. She wanted to know if the soldiers could catch up with her. She wanted them to attack her so she could use her new body's power.

Even as she ran, she even tried to figure out what else Mr. Blaire could do.

Will ran right beside her. He continued to wonder where he was. His mind was on the mysterious forest that he traveled through.

They broke through the foliage and into a clearing. Dawn ran until she came to the edge of a cliff. Below her was a large valley, more trees, and more forest. She turned around as soldiers from the facility that they had just escaped from surrounded them, like an army of ants, cornering them at the brink of the rock face.

"Aw, man!" she stamped her foot. "The game's over."

Will took a look down. "Not yet. Grab my hand, I'll fly us out of here," he whispered.

A laser beam shot out of the wall of soldiers and hit Will in the arm. He grabbed his limb. He cursed. "Damn it! Where the _hell _are they getting all of these lasers from?!"

Connor walked out from among the army of uniformed soldiers brandishing his weapon. He pointed it and aimed at the man's head.

He pulled the trigger.

Will's tried to dodge it, the blast missed his head and shot his shoulder. He whipped back. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. His body became limp. He staggered backwards before another shot sent him over the edge.

Dawn watched horribly as her best friend plummeted to his doom.

Without a second thought, she jumped down after him before the soldiers could grab her.

* * *

Sarah parked her motorcycle in the shadows just behind the abandoned warehouse. Where the rats feasted upon garbage and the spiders spun their webs. Where the darkness grew out from the corners and the ground was cold. They approached from the west side, where there was minimal view for anybody to spy on them. One thing everyone learned was that someone was always watching.

She opened the door, motioning Tara to go inside first. She took a quick perimeter sweep before closing the door behind her.

The door closed with a slam, eerily echoing off the walls in the empty building. It was dark, a small string of luminance hung in the middle of the large storehouse from a small overhead lamp. There was nothing else in the pitch black except the two who had just entered. The air was musty. A hint of smoke traveled passed them.

Tara stood still, already noticing that something was wrong.

Sarah pulled her back.

The lights flashed on.

The warehouse was full with police officers carrying shields and riot sticks. They lined up shoulder to shoulder, watching their every movement. Keeping an eye on the two women. Inspector Brown walked out to the front with Kelsey. He pulled out his pistol from his chest holster that was underneath his trench coat. Kelsey crossed her arms and smirked.

"They told me where your terrorist friends were going to meet, but they didn't tell me that The Guardian Angel was one of the terrorists too," The Inspector said, cocking his weapon.

Sarah sighed. "Oh crap."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	51. Rain on the Fire

The events after the explosion of the Washington Monument were exactly as the man in the future had predicted. A year has gone by after the destruction of New York City and the world has become a dark place. How can Sarah and Tara escape the trap set by Inspector Brown? How will Casey, Alec and Danny's new disguise help them in this time of darkness? How will it all end?

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE "RAIN ON THE FIRE"

"Sometimes I feel like everything is falling apart. Actually, everything fell apart already. I'm just having a hard time dealing with it. One thing happened, then another, and then another until I woke up one morning in a world full of fear and violence. It wasn't a dream, or a nightmare, although I wish it were. The dreams I have now would make a better reality. Things would be so much better. The world wouldn't be an extinguished flame, smoking from the tips, wishing that the embers would ignite once again to bring back life into the ash that overcame it. The world would be saved." – The Narrator

(Will and Dawn – Unknown)

Connor stepped out from among the army of uniformed soldiers brandishing his weapon. The small orb in the sky just above the horizon gave a light that glistened off of the hilt and cast a blinding shine into their eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, he aimed at the man's head and pulled the trigger.

A shocking beam of light flew out of the barrel towards his face.

Will's head whipped back. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. His body became limp. He staggered backwards before another shot sent him over the edge.

Dawn watched horribly as her best friend fell to his doom.

Immediately, she jumped down after him before the soldiers could grab her.

Their bodies plummeted down the rock face. Different shapes of rock formations passed beneath them as they continued downwards. Will's body was the slave to gravity. It pulled him down. He hit a branch, tumbled down onto a protruding ridge, and smacked his head on a boulder before falling further.

Dawn could only make her frame be as small as it could be. But it wasn't enough in Mr. Blaire's large body. The wind flew passed her, but she did not cut through it as fast as she needed. She needed to get closer. Dawn outstretched her arm, trying desperately to grab the man's fingers. "C'mon!" she yelled, trying to give herself a boost of encouragement. "C'mon!" she repeated.

She yelled into the wind. She clenched her fist. She reached out as far as she could reach. Anything to make her feel like she could do it.

He came close. But the floor was approaching quicker.

Finally, Dawn gave a heaving scream and grabbed at his hand, barely grazing against his fingernail.

It was enough.

Will's body became possessed with Dawn's consciousness.

Quickly assessing the situation, she awakened his power and took off through the trees; dust flew in every direction from her low sweep to gain momentum and rising higher and higher, away from the ground that had almost killed them.

Connor Franklin and the army looked at Will's slowly disappearing body. He spit on the ground, holstered his weapon and growled under his breath.

They got away.

* * *

The lights flashed on.

Seemingly, in a flash of light, the warehouse became full of armed police officers. They had been hiding in the darkness, waiting for the two of them to enter. The front line held shields in front of their bodies. The metallic gloss was intimidating. Their eyes were hid beneath the plastic visors connected to the brim of the helmet. The brightness of the light bulbs reflected off of the plastic.

The officers lined up shoulder to shoulder, leaving no room for escape. Any exit was blocked off and any chance of to get away looked grim. They watched their every movement. Keeping an eye on the two women. The line split down the middle and Inspector Brown walked into the middle of the circle with them. Kelsey, the sound manipulator, came in next to him. He pulled out his pistol from his chest holster that was underneath his trench coat. Kelsey crossed her arms and smirked.

"They told me where your terrorist friends were going to meet, but they didn't tell me that The Guardian Angel was apart of that little group," The Inspector said, cocking his weapon.

Sarah sighed. "Oh crap."

The Inspector grinned at her. "I knew I'd find you someday. I just didn't expect it to be now."

Tara took a step back, circumnavigating the circle of police officers around her. Her back brushed passed Sarah's as she moved her feet in a predetermined step, finally coming back around in front of Sarah. She wanted to fight. She needed to vent off some steam. Her fingers curled into her palm and she licked her lips, preparing herself for the battle to come.

Sarah saw the girl's glaring eyes shoot back and forth across the police officer's shields, counting how many people were in the room. "No, wait," she whispered. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I need someone to hit," she growled back.

"Just wait for it."

* * *

The tunneling mechanical transport vehicle flew down the underground tracks, following the metallic rails that were set down before it, going from one end of the city to another. Concrete images and faded lighting sped by, blurred together by the increasing speed of the subway.

It was soulless except for three individuals.

The cars were vacant, hollowed out by the day's activity, each chair holding the scent of the last person who had sat in it. The rail guards were plastered with fingerprints of various city dwellers. The sleek poles blinked along with the passing lights, eerily filling the dark box with flashes.

Alec sat on the bench in his new body. It felt weird to know that he was the same person, only in a new shell. A new body. A new face. It felt complicatedly wrong as if he wasn't supposed to be. He wasn't supposed to exist as someone else. He looked at his hand. It was different. It was like looking at a stranger's hand. His fingers ran across the skin. It wasn't his skin. Alec closed his eyes, trying to shake off the odd feeling.

Casey saw him from where she stood. Her hand held onto the upper hand rail, her body drifted back and forth with the moving subway car. She turned away, drawing her attention at the passing wall just outside the window. She saw her faded reflection, hid beneath a glaze of shadow, slightly lit by the subways interior lighting. It looked like another person was looking back at her. Another girl was staring into her eyes. But they were her eyes now. And Casey accepted that.

It was necessary to accept the change to continue moving.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" Alec said.

She turned around. "Of course. Don't you?"

He looked at his open palms. "Everything changed so much."

Casey's feet slid across the shiny floor to where he was sitting. She looked at him wondering why he looked so sad. His eyes. They were different, but they still conveyed the strong sense of emotion that they used to show. This time it was sadness. And Casey wanted to know why. She took a seat. "Everything _did_ change, Alec."

"I just… I can't believe that everything is happening like this. Everything… it all changed," he said again.

"A lot of things changed, Alec," she moved closer. "But a lot of things stayed the same."

"Like what?"

"Us," she didn't have to think. It was instant. "We still care for each other. We still love each other."

"That's the only thing." He was being pessimistic.

"Why are you like this? You weren't like this earlier."

Alec didn't bother to look at her. He just kept his eyes on his hands. "Earlier," he scoffed. "This morning I was in prison. Earlier I wasn't running away from the government's secret service. Earlier I looked the same way I've been for my whole life. Earlier I didn't know Justin was dead. In one moment, that all changed." Alec shook his had pathetically realizing his truth.  
"I'm still running, Casey. The only difference is the company. I'm still in the same situation I was in a year ago."

Casey was doing her best to comfort him. "I know everything must be overwhelming right now-"

"I don't even know what to do anymore, Casey! I have no idea what to do."

"Then listen to me. You need to suck it up right now, okay? It is very important that we keep our heads on our shoulders. Those agents could pounce on us at any second. Anywhere. We may have new appearances, but this is not a guarantee. Until we get underground with some supplies, you can mope and be negative, but right now you need to be brave. For all of us." She glanced at Danny, who quietly sat at the end of the subway car, eyes closed and lost in slumber. "Danny looks up to us. He's still young and if he sees one of us complaining and being sorry for the way things are, then he's going to lose all hope. Get used to the fact that things are different and they're not going to change any time soon. If you're not going to put on a mask for yourself then at least put on a brave face for him."

The subway slowed down.

Casey slowly approached the sleeping boy. Slightly, she nudged his arm to wake him up. "C'mon, Danny," she beckoned the young man. "We have to move quickly."

His eyes shot open. He looked at her. "Who are you?!"

"Danny, it's me, Casey."

He looked at his reflection and the truth dawned on him. His eyes would not look away from his image. As if trying to remember something. He tried to look pass what his eyes saw, but the reflection did not change. He rubbed his eyes, breath escaping his lungs. Danny shook his head. "You looked different. You didn't look the same in my dream."

Casey cleared her throat. "We have to leave now."

He looked into her eyes and quietly nodded his head.

Alec stood up and took a deep breath.

Casey grabbed his hand. "It's going to be fine. Trust me."

He nodded his head and approached the double sliding doors.

He lifted his head.

Standing in front of him was Wayne Rockwell, surrounded by a group of armed government soldiers.

* * *

The air in the warehouse was stale. Sweat rolled off of Sarah's forehead and down her temples. She knew how to get away. All she had to do was use her power to decrease the density of her body and escape through the roof. But Tara was with her, and Tara didn't have any powers. She couldn't leave her behind.

Her eyes darted around the room, looking at the corners of the walls, the darkness in the ceiling, the faces of her opponents. Her mind actively raced to find a reasonable exit strategy without harming Tara or herself.

Inspector Brown curled his lip. "Vigilantes and terrorists have no place in _my _city. Especially evolved human vigilantes and terrorists."

"I'm not a terrorist!" Sarah replied.

"But you are a vigilante."

"Look," she said. "I'm just here to take care of the kid."

"She's affiliated with them! She's a risk to national security!" Kelsey stepped in. "We are going to apprehend her. Both of you."

"Wait, what?" The Inspector looked a little surprised. "No, you said that you wanted the terrorists that you were baiting, the ones you fought downtown. The girl is with them; you said you'd take her."

They were arguing. Sarah glanced at Kelsey.

"This 'Guardian Angel' is obviously helping them and is an accomplice."

"No, she's mine! I waited a long time for this!"

Sarah watched the two argue about which one of them would arrest her. Her eyes shifted back and forth across the white of her eye like tennis balls across the court. They exchanged various quips about what they were going to do. But their argument wasn't constructive to their cause. It was the opportunity to escape. She grabbed Tara by the shoulder. "When I say, you start running."

"No, I'm going to fight," she whispered back.

"There's no one you can fight. You're going to run when I tell you."

"What are you going to do?"

"Wait for it." Sarah closed her eyes. "Just wait for it."

When Sarah had taken up her mantle of The City's protector, she had a very limited knowledge of her gift. She knew that her molecular density changed at her will. It could become less dense than air and become like helium, floating through the air and various objects. Or she could increase her density and become denser than a lead wall. Along with her various changes of density, increased strength came with it or increased speed depending on the usage and the situation.

Over the course of a year, she had progressed in her ability. She learned how to make the changes a reflex. A change from dense to transparent instantaneous, without going through her default density to get where she needed. But she also learned something new about her power.

Sarah focused her strength inward, grabbing at any strands of power that she could grab. Slowly, she forced the energy outward, filling the air in the warehouse. Sarah forced the air around them to become denser. Heavier. Harder to breath.

She strained.

Her energy dwindled.

She opened her eyes.

The officers were on their knees, trying so hard to breath. Inspector Brown and Kelsey held their throats in an attempt to keep the air they had within them. Tara was on the ground, gagging for air.

Sarah grabbed her hand and ran through the wall of choking people.

With her last ounce of strength, Tara managed to hit a gasping officer in the head with her foot. She collapsed on the ground.

Sarah picked her up, cradling her body in her bosom. "Damn it, kid. Hold on, Tara!" she said.

Her density increased and she kicked the warehouse doors off of the hinges. The metal doors flew into the air. Crashing to the cement. Tara took in a deep breath. She tripped over her legs. Sarah picked her up and put her on the motorcycle.

The wheels spun out, leaving a cloud of white behind them, screeching into the sky and they fled from the scene.

* * *

Wayne crossed his arm, looking down upon him.

Alec held his breath. Petrified in his fear.

"The curfew is still in progress," he said.

Alec nervously held his tongue.

Wayne crooked his head a little to the side.

Casey grabbed Alec's arm and politely nodded to the secret agent. "I'm sorry, Sir. He's deaf. We were trying to get back home, but we missed the first subway, so we had to wait for this one."

Wayne eyed the young boy that came up behind the woman. "Well, you should get back to your homes quickly. We're looking for some terrorists, and I'd hate to mistake them for one of you."

Casey nodded her head. "We'll get out of your way then. Come on."

She pulled Alec out of the doorway. Danny realized that his rifle was still in his hand. As subtly as he could, he hid it underneath his long overcoat, hoping that he concealed it from the secret agent and followed the woman in front of him.

But Wayne saw.

He turned to the man to his left. "Block the exit."

Casey stopped as their escape route was filled with the uniformed soldiers.

"What do you have there?" Wayne addressed Danny.

He backed up into Casey. "I, uh… I – I don't know what you're talking about."

He grabbed his arm and pulled out the rifle. "Why would someone like you need a rifle?"

Danny fumbled with his words. He didn't know what to say.

Casey let go of Alec's arm. Her flesh instinctively began to turn into liquid.

Wayne took the rifle in-between his palms. A bright light illuminated from within them and the metal slowly became malleable. With little effort, he bent the barrel slightly upwards before tossing it aside. "You know, there have been reports of evolved humans going to a certain woman," he saw the girl look down, "who can change the way people look. I'm sure the terrorists would go to her to change their appearance or hide… The convict who the terrorists freed was named Alec Lions." He noticed the deaf man look at him. "Alec Lions," he said again.

Alec fidgeted uncomfortably.

Wayne hands flashed on, a coursing light traveled up his arm from his fingertips. The government soldiers around them drew their weapons. Danny couldn't take his eyes away from the evolved human who was against them. Alec wasn't ready for another battle. Casey clenched her jaw.

She glared into his eyes.

A stare down.

Danny trembled. There had been too much fighting that day. There had been too much death that day. He knew that something horrible was about to happen. He knew that all of the fighting and death would continue. He looked into Wayne's eyes. There wasn't hatred or even wickedness in them. There was duty. There was a secret sadness that he couldn't understand. It scared him to think that someone who wanted to harm them was secretly sad to do so.

Alec trembled. So much had happened that day. It was hard to process everything and categorize where it all fit. Chaos and fighting. Those were the only two categories in his mind and he was overwhelmed with it. It overtook him. He was flung into a fray of confusing morals and chaotic events that he didn't know what to do. Casey was the only one who seemed confident in the mess that he had stepped into.

She told him to be brave.

He took a deep breath.

He _wanted_ to be brave.

"Arrest them."

Casey made the first move.

She whipped her hand out from behind her back, narrowly missing Wayne's head as he evaded the attack. Using her other arm, a gush of water flew out towards him.

He swiped his hands down, shooting a laser beam through the stream and cutting it into two.

Alec mustered up his courage. He grabbed a nearby soldier's gun and brought it up into his face. He turned around and punched the body behind him.

Casey kicked a man away from Danny. She turned to him. "Run!"

Wayne opened his palm. A blast of energy shot out and struck her in the back.

Danny turned around and ran. Up the steps. Out of the underground subway station. Outside, the morning had begun and the streets were particularly empty. His feet slammed hard against the sidewalk. They echoed in the hollowed city. He did not know where he was going. She told him to run so he ran. Fear plagued his eyes. He fled as fast as he could. And he did not look back.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	52. Lions Roar

Previously on Ordinary People. Dawn and Will manage to escape, but they still find themselves in a strange forest with nowhere to hide. The trap set by Inspector Brown and Kelsey Walters of the Government's Secret Service failed to arrest Sarah and Tara and Casey and Alec find themselves in a heated battle.

And tonight an ordinary person will meet fate…

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR "LIONS ROAR"

"No matter how much I want it to, I know nothing will change. People die. There's nothing I can do about it. I've seen too much already. Too many deaths. Too many broken hearts. It's frightening to know that it won't stop. It's still going to be there when I go to sleep and it's still going to be there when I wake up. They are the more advanced species. They are the stronger breed. But even lions roar when they're threatened. And even they can't change our futures." – The Narrator

(Dawn Freeman – Unknown)

The sky had a pinkish hue as the morning rose up into the day. The clouds reflected the sun's brilliance. Silhouettes of white shapes drifted across the blue. Dawn flew over the mysterious forest. Green and brown passed beneath her. Endless trees floated by in the valley that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. In the distance she saw what looked like the skyline of buildings along with a large body of water, so she decided to head in that direction.

Dawn mused to herself about the people reading about her life and how they were doing when she suddenly rammed into something very hard and very invisible.

She fell down to the forest below and went unconscious.

(Alec and Casey – Subway Station)

Wayne stood in front of his two captives. Hardly a scratch on him. He cracked his knuckles. A staunch expression on his face. A few soldiers were taken away for medical attention, but the majority remained where they were. Pointing their weapons at them. All rifles clicked. All targeting systems locked. The soldiers waited for a move.

Alec kneeled on the ground. His wrists locked in handcuffs. A bruise on his forearm. The purple circle hurt, but he didn't show his pain. The bottom lip was split and blood coagulated in the corner around the wound. His cheeks hurt too. Too many rifle butts to the face. He looked down. Silently wishing that everything would disappear. Silently hoping that everything was a bad dream.

Casey nudged him.

He looked her.

She winked. "Don't worry," she whispered. "We'll get out of this. Just follow my lead."

(Sarah and Tara – Sarah's Apartment)

Tara kicked the wall in misplaced anger. "Damn it, Sarah! You should've let me punch one of them!"

"You _did_ punch one of them."

"But I didn't get to beat him up."

Sarah sighed. "You sure you don't want to sit down? You're not lightheaded? Need some water?"

"I'm fine."

"You're angry. You need to sit down."

Tara knew that Sarah was right. But she didn't want to admit it. She stomped towards the bed where she sat. Making as much noise as she could. There was a lot of misplaced anger within her heart. Having someone who constantly reminded her of her father only made it worse.

The bed was softer than she expected. She sat down in the comfort, running her hand across the surface, taking in the relaxation it gave her. She was still angry. But it was hard to stay that way when she felt so comfortable.

Sarah nodded her head. "Better?"

"No," she replied, lying back. She put her arm behind her head as a substitute for a pillow. Cool air blew in through the open window. The early sunlight of the rising morning crept up the blanket and onto her face. She closed her eyes to block the rays from blinding her. She sighed. "What was father like before he died?" she mused into the wind.

"What do you mean?"

"I bet he told some boring story about what Grandpa used to tell him," she chuckled to herself. "He did that a lot."

Sarah smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, he did."

* * *

The Secret Service Agent took a deep breath. There were two options that he could do. Interrogate them then and there or take them in for processing. Either way, he needed to make a decision fast. He needed information that they had. Wayne looked at her. And then to him. Sizing up the two of them. A young woman. Turned into water. A young man. Superhuman speed. Terrorists.

He crossed his arms, choosing his words carefully. "You were the ones who we attacked, aren't you?"

Alec looked down.

Casey glared defiantly at him.

"Did you go to 'The Mother' to change your appearances?"

Neither of them replied.

He kneeled down and looked at her. "I'm not the bad guy."

"Scab," she spat.

Wayne chuckled to himself.

"You're an evolved human just like us! And you work for The Government like a pet!" She stood up only to be knocked down by a rifle handle. She spat at his feet. "You're nothing but animals to them."

He nodded his head, as if he understood what she said. "I made a decision to serve my country. You have to understand: a terrorist is a terrorist. It doesn't matter if they are evolved or not. What matters is that they want to harm innocent people and harm my home."

"They _use_ you to get us, and they feed you promises, but in the end, what do you think they're going to do to _all_ of us? Do you think they'll just pat you on the head and tell you that you did a good job? They're going to kill you too. You and everyone else like you."

He stood up, adjusting his uniform as he did so.

Casey nudged Alec again and winked again.

Wayne nodded to the soldiers. "I can see that this is pointless. You will now be processed by The Government."

Her body became liquid and the handcuffs slipped off of her wrists.

Alec quickly stood up and charged his shoulder into the nearest soldier.

Casey lunged at a soldier, knocking him into the pillar behind him. She twisted around, brought her arms up and around; the forceful push of her aquatic limbs threw the soldiers that surrounded her backwards. She attacked anything that moved, using her power to cut, throw, or disarm them.

Alec, still handcuffed, had some trouble. He speedily dodged the close hand combat, but had little success throwing his own attacks. Awkwardly, he kicked at their knees or rammed them into the walls at incredible speeds.

Wayne, annoyed that they persisted in their attempts to escape, grabbed him by the shirt collar and threw Alec to the ground. He kicked him in the face. He pointed his finger and fired a laser beam.

Alec jumped in the air and brought his hands out from behind his back. The laser beam struck the handcuffs, cutting the chain in half. Glad to have his arms back, Alec moved in.

Wayne blocked a punch. Kneed him in the stomach. Shot him with laser blast. The young man tried to fight back, but with his inexperience and with Wayne's superior skill, the battle was more like a beating.

Casey smashed her fist into a soldier's head. Her opponents were down. But Alec was in peril.

She closed her fingers into a fist. Anger. A cold, hard coating of water surrounded her skin. Quietly, she snuck up behind him and struck the secret agent in the back before he could beat Alec any more.

She swung her fist again and punched the surprised man in the face.

"Alec!" she commanded. "Get us out of here!"

He regained his balance.

Wayne swung his arms and caught her chin. With his leg he pushed her to the ground. He put his hands together. A bright white light emanated from the space between his palms. A powerful blast of energy unleashed itself at her.

Alec sped into overdrive.

He grabbed Casey as the photonic blast crumbled the wall behind her.

Wayne saw her one second and in the next she was gone. He looked around the empty subway station. Fallen soldiers. And a pair of empty handcuffs.

He opened the com-link on his wrist. "Kelsey, what's your status?"

Static. Coughing. She sounded like she was coughing. "Two of them showed up, but they," she coughed again, "but they got away."

"There are possibly two more coming your way. Keep your eyes open."

* * *

A sound to the left.

"Wake him up."

Dawn stirred. She felt something hard against her back. It was coarse, with little bumps and ridges poking her skin. Something rough was against her arms. It felt like rope. Itchy rope. She kept her eyes closed. Taking in the sounds of her surroundings. Someone was having a conversation with someone else.

"Wake him up," the voice said again.

"What are we going to do when he does?" said a new voice.

"We'll figure it out when he wakes up," said another. "Wake him up."

She felt a blunt object jab her shoulder. She opened her eyes. Four individuals stood in front of her. Two men and two women. They were dressed in an odd arrangement of dirty clothes, most of which were green or brown, and leaves or branches from the surrounding forest.

The man who had poked her had long black hair that hung partially over his ears and curled on his neck. A childish face and a round, plump figure. A man next to him had curly light brown hair. He had a strong jaw line with stubble infesting his chin. The first woman had long black hair that extended past her shoulders. Her nose was a little bit rounded at the tip. Soft complexion. Soft eyes. The young girl beside her had long brown hair. Parted on the side, a partial amount covered the left side of her face.

Instinctively, she broke the bonds and grabbed the weapon. Snatching it away from the owner. Dawn twirled the stick between her fingers, grinning childishly. She looked at the man who had jabbed her with it. "Would this be yours, He-Man?"

One of the women brought her hands up and a force field surrounded her so that she couldn't escape.

Dawn tapped the invisible barrier with the stick to test its strength. It seemed pretty strong. She whistled in awe. "Nice trick."

"Who are you?!" the man who she had called 'He-Man' commanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she retorted.

"You'd better talk."

"Or what?" She shot back. "I took your stupid stick away." Dawn smiled to The Readers. "I love being a bad ass."

The man who had poked her turned to the woman who had put up the force field. "Put it down. Let me have a piece of him."

"Calm down, Manuel," she said.

Dawn grinned. "Yeah, Mitch. Calm down."

He turned to her again. Furious. "Shut up. What is your objective?!"

"You just told me to shut up. I can't talk."

"Listen, you piece of sh-"

"It's obvious that intimidation isn't going to work," the other man interrupted Manuel. He snapped his fingers, creating the spark for a small ball of fire. It floated above his fingernail. "But maybe _this_ will."

Dawn shrugged. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. It depends what you want to know. If you're gonna bring me into The Dark Room like those other guys, then I highly suggest you get it over with." She crossed her arms. "I'm not telling you what I don't know."

The woman lowered her arms and the force field between Dawn and the two men fell.

The fire manipulator turned around. "What'd you do that for?"

"He obviously doesn't work for The Government."

"How can you be so sure?"

"He thought we were going to bring him into The Dark Room. He must have been the one who set off the alarm earlier."

"I _was_ the one who set off the alarm!" Dawn said enthusiastically. "You're good."

The woman outstretched her hand. "I'm Jeanette. The man to your left is Manuel. Next to him is Philip. And this is Lacie."

"Nice to meet you all."

Manuel crossed his arms and nodded his head in acknowledgment. Philip shook her hand, a half convinced apologetic expression on his face, and so did Lacie. Jeanette smiled. "I must apologize for tying you up like that, but we had to make sure you weren't one of The Government's pets."

"Why? Who are you people?"

"We're part of an underground organization called The United. We are a group of evolved humans who've escape the military base that you also escaped from. Our sole purpose is to bring down The Government and everything it stands for."

She laughed. "I don't think four people counts as an organization."

"There's a lot more of us. Lacie?"

A milky white film covered the young girl's eyes. The trees and the bushes. The rocks and the dirt. The images shimmered like a warped painting to reveal people standing behind them. Every single one of them were dressed in camouflage like the original four.

It was a small army.

"Whoa," Dawn said.

"We also recruit soldiers to our ranks," Jeanette added.

"That was cool. Is that her power?"

Lacie nodded, gently flipping her hair out of her face. "I can camouflage myself or others in the immediate surrounding. It's useful when there's a large group of people that need to be hidden."

Philip smiled at the awe-struck woman. "We're always looking for new soldiers, if you're interested, mister?"

"Oh," she laughed, "I never gave my name, how rude of me. My name is Dawn, but this isn't my body." She un-possessed Will. "It's his." Will's body fell to the ground. She put her arm underneath his and supported his weight. He was still unconscious. She looked down at the body that she was in. Mr. Blaire's suit crinkled a little. Dawn chuckled. "Sorry, this isn't my body either and I'd leave it, but he's sort of a bad guy, so I don't want to risk anything. Besides," she smiled, "he has an awesome power. I'd like to toy with it a little."

Philip looked at his companions. Confused, but genuinely entertained. He smiled. "We both have a lot of things to explain."

* * *

A silence filled in between the two. Their minds slowly turned. They remembered Mike. His face. His mannerisms. Every aspect about him drifted through their eyes.

"How did you find out he died?" Sarah asked.

"He told us to wait at the diner," she said. She remembered it vividly. The memory seared in place. "We waited there for a long time, but then Justin got us into some trouble. We left the diner because he needed medical attention… We were at the hospital for at least three days. He never called us. We never got a word of where he was. Then we heard about the explosion in New York. It was all over the news. In the papers. Danny and I assumed that the both of you died in the explosion. And… that was it."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"How did he really die?"

Sarah swallowed what was left of saliva in her dry mouth. She took a deep breath. "I wanted him to stay with me. I asked him to stay with me because I didn't want to be alone. I didn't think I could handle it. We got closer to where he was going to drop me off when a police barricade stopped us. He told me to turn myself in. I agreed. When we got out some trigger happy kid shot him. Just like that. He was the only person that was innocent and he was the one who died. He told me that I had a choice. To make the right one. Even as he died, he wasn't thinking of himself."

"That sounds like Dad," she said with a smile.

"He was a great man."

Tara's lips moved, rambling words into space. "He was the most important person to me… I trusted him with anything. But… there was no one to trust anymore. I had to rely on myself."

She looked at the young woman, making sure that she had eye contact. "You may think hiding away in your little shell is the safest option for you, but it's not. Nothing good can come from thinking only about yourself. Me, me ,me, it can't be that way. That's how I used to be. I hunt down the criminals of this city because they don't respect that. They kill. They break the law for selfish reasons and they need to be punished. I'm thinking about the welfare of the city. I'm not the selfish person I used to be. Your father taught me that."

All the talk about her father brought back the old emotions. She looked at Sarah. The corner of her lip curling down. Tara couldn't help but say what was on her mind. "You taught me something too, Sarah."

Sarah nodded her head. "What was that?"

"You taught me not to trust in strangers." A sharp edge to her voice.

"I can't change the past, Tara. Accept it."

"I can't accept it, _Sarah_! You took away my dad!"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. You need to stop blaming me for what happened."

"Why? Why do I need to stop blaming you?"

"Do you know what's happening?!" Sarah grabbed her shoulders and shook her, looking deep into her eyes. Tara's response was silence. The Guardian Angel sighed and turned to the window. She looked at the city. Her city. Somberly, she shook her head. "A war is coming, Tara. A war is coming and people are going to die."

"How do you know that?"

"Look at the signs. There are people running around with power afraid of the other people who are even more scared with stronger power. The Government has a task force hunting evolved humans. There are terrorists destroying governmental facilities and fighting The System. How long do you think this will go on before someone takes it too far? Who's going to declare war first? Us or them?" Sarah turned back to the young woman on her bed. "People die in war, Tara. Your father was a casualty and I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do about. But I can do something about this. The war is going to happen and I'm not going to let my city get caught in the crossfire. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me. If you want to go running around the streets by yourself looking for your friends, then go ahead. You think you can take care of yourself, then go."

Tara furled her eyebrows and stuck out her bottom lip. Her fingers clenched together to make a fist. She was so furious she couldn't speak. Sarah challenged the young woman. A stare down. It was frustrating how selfish she could be.

Static on the police scanner buzzed as another distress call came through and broke the silence. Sarah looked out at the city, letting the police officer reveal the rest of the message. Without a word she climbed out of the window and jumped out.

Tara sat very still. She reviewed the conversation in her head. Thinking about all of the things that made her angry. The young woman walked to the window, punched the glass and spit out to the street. Without a word, she went to the door and slammed it behind her.

* * *

New York City. A broken metropolis. An open wound. Melted concrete and incinerated wood. There was nothing left but memorials. Cemeteries. The entire city was a tombstone. A remembrance of death. Dark shadows of escaping pedestrians imprinted on the walls of standing buildings. Forever their lives stood immortal. A memory to the destruction that many people lost their lives on that day.

Alec didn't know where else to go. He ran to it. He didn't expect to see what he saw. Gently, he put Casey down, supporting her weight as he did so. Together they looked up.

He was almost speechless.

"Why did you take us here?"

He looked on. Dumbfounded. "I don't know. It was the only place I could think of and we were close anyway… this used to be my home."

Casey grabbed his hand and walked towards Ground Zero. "This used to be a lot of people's homes."

"Why did this happen?"

"No one really knows. The media blamed it on a man named Sylar."

"Who?"

"A serial killer. He must have died in the explosion."

They found a small area where they could hide amongst the ruins. Casey sat down first, followed by Alec who was still amazed by the entire sight. He connected in his mind what could have happened. Bomb explodes. People need help. Men and woman reveal their powers to help. Government becomes afraid of the new phenomena. Government puts the country in a State of Emergency. Evolved Humans are targeted as potential terrorists. Casey and her team try to free the captives and tries to fight back. The Government sends in their task force to stop them. And that all leads to where they are now. Hiding underneath a charred building, the top portion gone, crumbled under its own pressure.

He looked down at his shaking hands. He stuffed them in his pockets. "Have you ever wondered what our lives could have been like if we never had powers?"

"No," Casey said. "Not really."

"We wouldn't be running from The Secret Service."

"Yeah," she agreed.

"I'd probably be working in some business office."

"You would not."

Alec grinned. "You'd be some great politician or something."

"I wanted to be a teacher when we were in High School."

"You'd make a good teacher."

"I can't see you working in a cubicle."

He laughed. She chuckled.

Casey looked down. They talked about what could have happened like it would. But the sad realization was that nothing would be the same. Their dreams of possibilities were broken like the decaying city.

"We need to leave the country," Alec said. "If we want to survive we need to leave the country."

"What about everyone else? Will? Dawn? Danny? He's still out there somewhere."

"We can come back for them. But right now, we're being hunted. We can't rescue your friends when we got targets on our backs. The best thing to do is to lay low and think of a plan and then we can find everyone else."

Casey looked at him. This was the first time in a long time that he took a stand and said what he wanted. He wasn't the lost soul he was in the subway station. He looked resolved. He looked confident that he was making the right choice. She nodded her head. "Okay. But we have to leave now."

Alec nodded his head. And stood up.

A gun shot.

Alec's head whipped back. Blood spurting out of his temple like a water fountain. Casey screamed in horror. Dotted red splats spilled over her body. Her face became stained with red. Without a sound he fell to the floor.

She turned her head to see a sniper hiding in the New York City debris.

Another gun shot.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	53. Sea of Sorrow

Previously on Ordinary People. Will and Dawn meet The United. A brotherhood of evolved humans who are dedicated to taking down The Government. Who are these mysterious men and women? What is their role? Alec meets his demise. What is the fate of Casey?

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE "SEA OF SORROW"

* * *

The sniper sat on the ground, leaning against a melted taxicab. The yellow paint from years past was scorched from the hide, leaving rusty black soot from the ashes of spectators and pedestrians. He opened a black brief case, containing the instrument of death, took out the carious parts to the rifle and expertly put it together. With a final click, he aligned the scope, looked through the cross hairs for his target.

The two fugitives sat amongst the ruins. Talking. They were just out of sight. Patiently he waited for them to make a move. He took out his two-way radio and pressed the side button. "I have visual contact."

"Very good," Kelsey said from the other line. "Wayne wants this done quick and fast. Take them out."

"Yes, Sir."

He waited.

And waited.

Finally the young man stood up. The sniper tilted his head, closed his right eye and steadied his finger on the trigger. He only needed two shots to finish the job. Two shots to end the life of two wanted criminals. A gun shot.

Alec's head whipped back. Blood spurting out of his temple like a water fountain. Casey screamed in horror. Dotted red splats spilled over her body. Her face became stained with the velvet liquid. Without a sound he fell to the floor.

She turned her head to see a sniper hiding behind a melted taxicab.

He aimed and fired.

Instinctively, her body became water. The bullet harmlessly splashed through her. It flew through her head and into the stone wall behind her. Quickly, Casey fell down, her stomach touching the ground, her fingers tense, her eyes sharp. The glistening of the rifle barrel flashed momentarily before the sniper hid behind his cover once again.

She remained still. Holding her breath. Adrenaline pumping through every vain in her body. Red from Alec's blood curled underneath her liquefied palm, diluting the substance in an amazing swirl of darkness.

But she was not paying attention to it. Her mind was stuck on the enemy. A sniper who hid. A sniper who tried to kill her. The pupils in her eye disappeared beneath a milky film as she melted into a large puddle, slithering across the ground towards her prey.

The sniper lifted the rifle onto his shoulder. He clicked the button on his two-way radio. "Agent Walters, Alec Lions is dead."

"What about the girl?"

He peered over the granite block he hid behind to where Alec's body lay. She was gone.

"What about the girl?" she asked more forcefully.

He turned around to answer but he was silence by a powerful strike to the face. Casey lifted her fist, glazed in frozen temperatures, and struck him again. Ferociously she yelled in anger, beating him repeatedly until his mouth loosely hung open, blood dripping from his face, the red substance on her knuckles.

"Agent O' Brian, what is the status of Casey Walker?"

Casey picked up the communicating device and put it up to her mouth. "I'm still here," she growled.

Silence.

Her voice was just above a whisper. Raspy and fierce. Her body trembled as the adrenaline rush wore off. "I am going to find you and I am going to kill you for what you did. You can send your people to get me but _I am_ going to kill you. Do you understand? _I am going to kill you!_"

She crushed the device in her hands.

* * *

Will opened his eyes. He was in a small room. The walls were held together with large bolts. Each one protruded from the frame, rounded at the top and sharp around the edges. The bed was soft. A little coarse. Rusty metal poles on either side acted as bedposts, and crudely welded metal provided the frame. Two long rectangular lights hung on the ceiling. It filled the tiny area with a slightly brighter luminance than he preferred. A vent was in the corner, allowing cool recycled air to enter in and cool the temperature.

He stood up, wincing a bit from a headache. He rubbed his shoulder. It still stung from the laser beam. Will stretched his arms as he moved towards the door that hung ajar.

"They're planning to meet about it tonight. I'm going to be there so I'll get more details-"

Will opened the door.

Lacie turned around, a cell phone up to her ear with one hand and a lock of hair in the other. She twirled it around her finger. A nervous smile formed on her face. "Oh, hey, you're awake."

He nodded. "Where am I?"

"You're in one of the guest rooms." She paused. "Well, technically it isn't a guest room because we don't have guests very often."

"Who are you?"

She put up her index finger to let him know that she would be with him momentarily. "I'll have to call you back." She hung up and smiled again. "Jeanette told me to tell her when you woke up, so I'm going to get her. Stay here. I'll be right back."

Will watched the young woman leave. He idled in the doorway before he limped back into the room and back onto the bed. In the silence that followed, he took the chance to prepare himself for whatever lied ahead. He was in a strange room with a very friendly guard. The last thing he remembered was being on the edge of a cliff surrounded by army soldiers.

He took a deep breath.

And wondered what had happened in the last few hours.

* * *

Casey slowly moved across the battlefield. New York's ruins lay desolate. Death and destruction was written in the broken walls, the cracked foundation, the burnt ground. She walked towards Alec's body. Each step harder to take than the first. After all the adrenaline had left her there was nothing left to feel except confusion. Frustration. Anger. She walked in silence. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't say anything.

His body lied on the floor, arms sticking limply, hanging over his body, legs crossed, head on the side looking out at the ruins of New York City. The bullet hole in his head still bled and the puddle became bigger and bigger with every second.

She touched his arm. Felt his fingers. His skin felt cold. And numb. He was a pale white like the early moon before it descended into the darkness of night. There was no more hope in his eyes. There was no more comfort in his touch. There was no more love. She gently closed the lids.

Her hand shook.

Her lip quivered.

She didn't know what to feel.

She didn't _how_ to feel.

But there was a chance to save him.

The Mother.

If anybody could bring him back, it would be her.

* * *

A knock came at the door.

Jeanette took a step inside. "Hi, you must be Will."

He looked up. A woman stood partially in the open doorway. He cleared his throat. "How do you know my name?"

"Dawn told me."

"Dawn? She's here?"

"Yes."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. How are you doing?"

He hesitated. He processed whether or not he should trust her.

She gently closed the door and stood politely near it. Her hands were behind her back. Her posture was straight. She seemed very trustworthy.

"I'm doing all right," he finally responded. "I have a headache, but other than that, I think I'll be fine."

"That's good." She took a step forward. Her postured loosened. A soft demeanor. She looked at his face and knew that he was only confused. She wanted to ease his confusion. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I want to answer them."

He nodded his head. Questions already flowing out of his mind. He didn't know which one to choose first, so he started with the basics. "Who are you?"

"My name is Jeanette."

"There was a woman guarding the door-"

"That was Lacie."

He nodded his head. "Where… where am I?"

"You are in the secret headquarters of The United. A brotherhood of evolved humans that share the same goal: The downfall of The Government and The System it established."

"A brotherhood?"

"The facility that you escaped from is Military Base 21. A base of operations where we, evolved humans, are processed. From there we go to prison or we choose to work for the government. Either way, we lose."

"I want to see Dawn."

Jeanette smiled. "Of course. Come with me."

She opened the door and gestured for him to go first. After standing up, he made his way to the doorway. Before he left the room, he stopped. His eyes fell upon the woman's face. Could he trust her? Only time would tell. She smiled a soft, reassuring smile and they left the room.

The corridor was darkly lit. Unknown individuals walked down the path towards them or around them going towards a destination that Will knew nothing of. They did not stop to talk to them. Others gave him eye contact. But they were busy people. There was much to be done in The United.

Their feet echoed off of the steel walls. The only noise in the silence. Every few yards a similar rectangular light like the ones in his room hung on the ceiling. A small patch of odd lighting, a small patch of visible darkness, and another area of lighting. The pattern continued all the way down the hall.

Jeanette looked at Will. She examined his face almost curiously.

He became uncomfortable. "Why are you looking at me?"

"You don't trust me."

He did not know what to say. She was right.

"You're skeptical about The United as well."

He nodded his head.

"Let me tell you that you are no different than anybody else here. Everybody had their doubts about an organization that could take down The Government. There were three of us then: Me, Philip, and Manuel. Philip is our leader. He's the symbol of what The United stands for. He was taken under false pretenses. He knows first hand what it feels like. He's courageous, strong. A good leader. Manuel is the Field Leader. He leads the missions. A quick thinker."

"What about you?"

"I'm Second In Command to Philip."

Will nodded his head. "Impressive," he stated.

She smiled. "We were the first to escape. The first taste of freedom told us to go our separate ways and get our lives back. But something happened that changed us all." She looked down the hall, remembering the pivotal moment. "Another transport took more of us to the facility. There were so many faces of innocent people being taken to prison out of fear. We realized that we could get our freedom, but there would always be others that would not experience such joy."

Will looked at her. She knew what she wanted. She was resolved in her resolution. Respect began to grow within him for her, even though he hardly knew her.

"So we rescued them. Every single one we could find. It started out small, but soon it grew. And the dream became bigger. Suddenly taking down The Government wasn't so far-fetched. It was becoming a reality." She looked back at him. She looked into his eyes. "You can trust us, Will. You can trust _me_."

He stared back into her eyes. She was honest. He understood that she could be trusted. Will couldn't help but nod his head. "Okay."

* * *

She sat on the floor, cradling Alec's body, while she angrily knocked on the door. She slammed her fist into the wood. Over and over again. Calling out to whomever was inside. She looked down at him. He was heavy. And the blood had dried on his face. Red still stained her skin and shirt. She held onto him like he was life. There was still a chance to see him again.

"Open the door!"

The large wooden door opened. The guardian, known as Target, stopped short of his next step. Two bloody individuals were at the doorway.

"H-help me," she said grabbing his hand. "I need to see The Mother."

Silently he reached down, picking him up.

"Be careful with him. Be careful."

The guardian nodded his head. "Follow me."

Casey took small steps. Her eyes would not leave him. His lifeless frame rocked with every step. Like a doll. He dangled horribly over his shoulder. "Everything's going to be okay," she whispered. "Everything is going to be okay, Alec, just hold on." She spoke to his pale face. She remembered how it felt to reassure Justin before his death. "This time it's going to be different."

"Mother," Target said.

She looked up from her throne.

"She has returned."

Casey pushed past him. She outstretched her arms so that he could give him to her. Gently, he lowered Alec's body into her arms. She turned towards The Mother and kneeled in her presence. She looked at the young man's face before drawing her attention to the woman before her. "Mother… please… help me."

"What happened?"

She shook uncontrollably. "He's been shot in the head, I–I thought you could heal him… you–you are The Maiden of Life. The Healer. I ask that you heal him now."

"I cannot heal him."

She closed her eyes, fighting back her tears. She held his body close, gently rocking. "Please. Please heal him."

"I'm sorry. I cannot-"

"Damn it, heal him!" she commanded.

Her voice echoed throughout the hall. Her hands continued to tremble under his weight. A glossy mist fell over her eyes as a teardrop gathered in the corner of her eyes, slowly rolling down her cheek. Target stood respectfully. He looked at The Mother wondering what she would do.

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry. He's already dead."

"No," Casey whispered.

"I cannot bring him back to life." A memory flashed. The Mother took a deep breath. "I cannot bring him back to life."

Alec was dead. Hope was dead.

Casey became still. Her mind raced. Every single memory of him replayed in her head. The first time she met him. Their night out in Town's Square. His face. His touch. Their love. Every emotion she ever felt for him rushed through her body. Quickly there and quickly leaving. Questions intertwined with the events that unfolded. Why? Casey couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that he was really gone. Nothing could bring him back. An empty pit settled in her stomach. She looked down at his face. The blood caked over his eyes. She shook and allowed the tears to fall freely onto his clothes.

"Casey?"

She looked up.

Danny stood a few feet away in the doorway to The Mother's room. He ran to her.

Suddenly, he stopped. Alec's body.

"Oh my God," he whispered.

Casey couldn't reply. She didn't know why he was there, and she didn't care. He saw the pain in her eyes. She saw the surprise in his. She looked at the boy and shook her head.

Hope was dead.

"Oh my God," he said again holding his stomach. He gagged, turning his eyes away from the gory scene. The contents of his stomach fell onto the floor.

The Mother sadly stood up.

"Where are you going?!" her voice echoed in the silence.

She stood still for a moment.

Casey softly put Alec's body on the marble floor. "Heal him!"

"I told you already-"

"No! Heal him!" More tears.

The Mother pressed her lips together. Casey was in denial. She could not accept the reality of truth or how much it really hurt.

Danny looked at Casey. Then to The Mother. "Please. Can't you do anything?"

She kneeled down and looked into his eyes. She spoke softly. Kindly. She knew the pain that they felt. They wanted a guarantee that something good could happen. But nothing good happened. What was done was done. "I can heal those who are hurt. But I cannot raise people back from the dead. Believe me. I've tried."

Casey quietly wept. She lowered her head into her arms. She leaned on Alec's chest. Her shoulders shook.

"Why did this happen?" Danny asked into the air. "I don't want this to happen anymore."

The Mother took him into her arms and hugged him. "I'm sorry you have to deal with these things at such a young age. You shouldn't have to know about these things."

He wiped his eyes. "Can I stay with you? I don't want to go back into the real world."

She nodded her head. "Of course. My home is a haven for evolved humans."

He hugged back. And he wouldn't let go.

She looked at Casey's shuddering body. "I'm sorry."

Casey's soft cries ceased. She looked up. Eyes red. Face wet with tears. She felt hopeless. She felt sad. But more than anything, she felt angry. "Danny."

"Yeah?"

"Bury his body." Without a further word, she stood up.

"Where are you going?" The Mother asked.

"Out."

"You can stay here-"

"No."

"What do you plan to do?"

She clenched her fist. There was only one thing left to do. "Get revenge."

* * *

"The door to the left."

He grabbed the handle and pushed it open. The room was a little bit bigger than the room he was in. There was an old couch and an even older wooden coffee table in the middle. Two men sat in chairs on the left side of the coffee table and Dawn and the woman named Lacie sat on the couch.

Dawn looked at the two in the doorway. A smile immediately enveloped her face. "Will!" she waved her hand at him. "Hi!"

He walked to her and gave her a hug. "You're all right."

"Of course I am," she scoffed. She winked at The Readers at their computers. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Jeanette walked into the room. "Will, you've already met Lacie."

She waved at him.

"But this is who you haven't met. This is Philip and Manuel."

"I call him 'Mitch'," Dawn said happily.

Will nodded his head to them. "So," he said, drawing his attention back to Jeanette, "are you recruiting me into The United?"

She grinned. "Wasn't it obvious? You and Dawn have very unique abilities. They're going to be useful against The Governent."

"Oh," he laughed. "I thought you were recruiting me because of my rugged good looks."

"That too."

"I already joined," Dawn interrupted the flirtatious two.

He shook his head, a smile still on his face. "All right. I accept your offer."

Philip stood up. "Good. Follow me. It's time to be debriefed."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	54. The Dark

Previously on Ordinary People. The death of Alec Lions proved tragic in Casey's life. Sarah, after another fight with Tara, left the young woman to herself. She must move on with her crusade without her. The Mother must carry the burden of another death. Who is this mysterious woman?

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX "THE DARK"

* * *

The late evening set in. A hazy mist of clouds drifted above, lazily they moved across the sky like the calm of a river. The purple and pink combination disappeared behind the city skyline allowing the darkness of night to settle in its place. Sparkling lights and a white circle were soon to be expected.

The Lighthouse Mansion was somber, a mood of melancholy for its inhabitants. Even with all the noble statues and elegant paintings, the large hallways seemed small and insignificant. The throne was not for a goddess. It was for an ordinary person who was just like everyone else. A human who felt emotions. And cried when someone died.

She sat in the large chair. Her arms dangled loosely at her sides, barely resting on the curled armrests. She stared ahead. In the blank canvas that was her mind. She wondered about the time when she thought she could save lives. Raise people back from the dead. There was a time when she thought she could bring the dead back to the living.

But that time had passed. She knew the truth now.

Two tears fell out of the corner of her eyes. Each droplet ran down her cheek and dangled on the edge of her jaw line before falling off into her clothes.

Target walked in from the hallway entrance. His clothes were covered in dust. Dirt hid beneath his fingernails. He clapped his hands forming a small cloud that dissipated into the air.

The Mother did not acknowledge him.

"The boy and I buried his body."

She did not respond.

"How are you doing, Mother?"

Her eyes drifted to his face. She paused for a brief moment, looking at his features. He looked like his father. "I thought the feeling would go away, but the girl was so heartbroken over his death. It reminded me of myself."

"It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could do."

She hung her head down into her palms. "Just like before."

"You have to forget about that," he said. He knew what she was referring to.

"I can't forget. I failed."

The man walked closer to her. He kneeled by the throne, placing his hand on hers in a reassuring manner. He took a deep breath. "I failed too. Do you remember? I came here to stop Lions from changing the timeline, but I didn't. I couldn't. That day will be in my head forever. I don't think I'll ever forget." He looked straight into her eyes. "But we can't let that memory hold us back. You healed thousands of lives. Evolved or not, you saved lives in the week of New York's Explosion. You're helping evolved humans now, saving them, giving them new lives, new appearances. _We_ have new lives now. _You have not failed anyone_," he paused for a second."He would have been proud."

She shook her head, a nostalgic smile overcoming her frown. "You are so much like your father."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me."

* * *

Sarah twisted the handle. The engine to The Blackbird revved up, increasing the speed of the vehicle.

An armored bank truck sped down the road ahead of her. Small scratches and dents spread across the left side. The number of the truck itself had been severed ending at the zero and cutting off the eight. The back doors hung loosely on the hinges, swinging open every time the truck turned sharply. The wheels screeched. It went back and forth from the left and right side of the road as if someone had commandeered the vehicle. Three police cruisers followed behind it.

She lowered her head and increased her speed.

The police scanner revealed to her that an armored truck was hijacked during a routine transport to the bank. Over a million dollars was inside. According to the report, it was a woman. She wore a black ski mask and dark clothing. Oddly, though, the hijacker did not stop the truck before boarding. She jumped on. The general consensus is that The Guardian Angel is responsible.

Sarah wanted to rectify the situation.

The sleek motorcycle pulled up alongside the left side of the bank truck. She reached out to grab onto the flinging, open door, but the vehicle swerved viciously to the left, locking them closed and nearly knocking her off of her bike.

Quickly, she drove ahead. Oncoming traffic zoomed around her. She dodged and weaved, slipping between cracks. The Blackbird sped around two cars before coming back to the bank truck.

Sarah glanced into the window.

The masked figure looked back at her before turning the wheel to hit her again.

Sarah increased her speed to dodge the strike, but did not see the oncoming car. She kicked the motorcycle out from under her, out of harms way, and instinctively, decreased her density, floating in the air before crashing down onto the roof of the bank truck.

The wind blew her hair in her face. It passed through every strand, flinging it in every direction. Increasing her strength, she raised her fist and brought it down, punching a fist-sized-hole on the roof. She grabbed at the punctured metal and pulled it apart. As the hole became larger, she peered inside. Two unconscious guards. Large bruises on their faces.

Decreasing density, she phased through the roof and jumped inside.

(Will and Dawn – The United Secret Headquarters)

Dawn looked at the forest in appreciation and wonder. Six individuals walked across the floor of the greenery. Dried leaves cracked beneath their feet. Trees rustled in the wind. There was so much to take in. Lacie's eyes were milky white, keeping them camouflaged from sight.

"Where are we going?" Dawn asked.

Philip, who led the group, did not lose his stride. "We're going to an old bomb shelter that we found. It's the perfect place for meetings. Hidden from spying eyes and ears."

Lacie allowed her hair to fall, hiding the left side of her face.

Jeanette walked beside Will. "We were lucky you came in when you did."

"Why?"

"We were planning to attack Military Base 21 tomorrow night."

"Then it's lucky we came in when we did."

He smiled at her. She chuckled.

Dawn saw their interaction. Her expression of appreciation and wonder faded away. Replaced by sadness. Her shoulders slumped low and she quietly followed them to a small bomb shelter.

The entrance was cleverly hidden underneath a blanket of logs and twigs with branches and dirt, leading to a crude flight of stairs underground. Philip became the light once the cover fell over the hole. His flame flickered ahead of them until he stopped at a door at the end of the stairway. A combination lock hung on a ring attached to the handle. Twisting the knob back and forth in various directions, the right combination unlocked the doorway. A neon blue flicked on and they entered.

An averaged sized room. Blank walls enveloped in the blue of the neon lights. A single stainless steel table sat in the middle. Manuel, Lacie, and Jeanette gathered around the sides. Dawn and Will took their places at the end. Philip stood at the head. He placed a large sheet up paper on the top and unrolled it. White markings of a blue print stood out in the neon, accenting the directions they were to take.

"These are the blueprints of Military Base 21. We lost good soldiers to get this information, but we will make sure that their deaths were not in vain."

* * *

Danny sat on the bed in his designated room. The walls were empty, lacking the touch of home. The rotating blades of the fan spun above his head. He sadly kept his lips sealed. Sweat rolled down his forehead. He had another dream. It was similar to the others he had been having. Each one abruptly ended with him waking up in reality. Where hope was dead.

Dirt clung beneath his fingernails. The dirt from Alec's burial. Frantically, he tried to clean his filthy hands from the dark stain, but some of it stuck to his skin. He needed to clean himself from the thought of death. Alec's death.

Slowly, he slid off of the edge and walked towards the door. Quietly he turned the knob and cracked it open a little. Three men stood in the hallway, dressed in dark suits and dark glasses. They were Government personnel. Wayne Rockwell stood in front of them, giving them orders to stand guard until he returned.

Danny slowly closed the door and went back to his bed. He didn't want to get involved with anything concerning the Government again.

* * *

"Mother," Target said opening the door. "Agent Rockwell is here to see you."

She nodded her head. She took a deep breath and followed her guardian into The Throne Room. Standing in front of the throne was the Government's best secret service agent.

The Converter of Energy. Wayne Rockwell.

He grinned as she entered.

The Mother nodded her head in acknowledgment.

Target suspiciously eyed the stranger.

"It's good to see you again," he said to her.

"Hello, Wayne."

He looked at Target from the corner of his eye. "Can we have some privacy?"

"He stays. Whatever you want to say to me can be said in front of him."

"Come on Jessica," Wayne persisted. "Don't you trust me?"

Jessica Donner narrowed her eyes. "No."

"Fine." He briefly looked at Target and then turned his attention back to her.

"What do you want, Wayne?"

"I'm here on business. Three terrorists have been seen in this area. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"You're going to have to be more specific."

He sighed. "Casey Walker, Alec Lions and a young boy named Danny."

"Yes, they were here."

"Were you the one who changed their appearances?"

"Yes."

"Damn it, Jessica, you and your 'Mother' persona. Where are they now?"

"I don't know."

Wayne gently touched the bridge of his nose in irritation. He sighed a sigh that signified his annoyance. He glanced at Target again. It was then that something caught his eye. Something intriguing. "You know," he began. "He looks a lot like David."

Target shifted uncomfortably.

Jessica's lip quivered angrily. She breathed out of her nose and clenched her teeth. "You have no right to say his name."

"There is an uncanny resemblance."

Target noticed The Mother's agitation. She curled her fingers into a fist. She was trying so hard to control herself.

Wayne walked closer.

The Guardian confronted the secret agent. He glared at the man.

Wayne stared back into his face, looking for the similarities.

"I think it's time for you to leave," she said through her teeth.

"Just tell me-"

Target grabbed him by his jacket collar. "Time to go, Agent Rockwell."

Wayne brushed his hands away and fixed his suit jacket. "Jessica, may I remind you that The Government _gave_ you your lawful immunity. Just because you served as a medical miracle after the New York Explosion doesn't mean that you can do whatever you want. You're still withholding information about those terrorists, but since you're an old friend, I'm going to give you some time to think about it."

"What _happened_ to you?" She sneered.

"What happened to _you_?" he replied before turning for the door. "I'll let myself out.

Jessica and Target watched the secret agent walk away.

"I'm not a sniveling rock star anymore," Wayne said into the hallway. "I have a job to do and my loyalty is to my country."

* * *

"That's interesting."

When Sarah jumped into the armored bank truck, there were two things very strange: The money remained and the inside was almost freezing.

The two unconscious guards. Massive bruises on their faces. Their bodies were relatively warm signifying that the freezing temperature was sudden. She tugged at her jacket, wrapping it closer to her body and zipping up her sweater. The air of her breath passed in front of her eyes. Her eyes became blurry. She looked at the bags of money. Virtually untouched.

Why would this person leave the money?

The truck swerved to the right. Sarah braced herself, catching herself on the bulletproof glass. The hijacker noticed her and sharply turned the wheel. Losing her footing, she fell against the wall.

"I'm getting really tired of this," she said under her breath.

Sarah decreased her density, floating back to the roof of the armored bank truck. She increased the density of her body just enough to nimbly make it across the roof and onto the passenger side. She grabbed the edges of the passenger door, flipped around, while simultaneously changing density, and smashed through the window, landing in the seat next to the hijacker.

The masked figure immediately swung her arm and punched Sarah in the face. She rammed her elbow into her shoulder. Taking hold of Sarah's jacket, the hijacker threw her into the windshield.

Glass shattered in every direction.

The alarms of the pursuing police cruisers rang in their ears.

Sarah grabbed whatever she could to stay on the hood.

She looked at the masked figure.

A powerful fist connected with her face sending her flying in the opposite direction.

Sarah crashed onto the road.

Quickly, she became intangible, allowing the armored bank truck and the police cruisers to pass right through her.

Sarah sat on the ground. Defeated. She turned her head to see the flashing lights of the police cars to disappear behind a curb. With her hand, she touched her jaw, massaging a soft spot. Slowly she stood back up. Wiping the dust and gravel from her jacket.

"I've never been hit that hard in my life," she said to herself. "Who is this girl?"

* * *

Jessica's head rested on the palm of her hand. She shook her head, a sigh floated out of her mouth. Hearing David's name come out of Wayne's mouth was foul. He said it disrespectfully. It was a wonder that she used to think of him as a friend.

One year had transpired. Filled with chaos. Filled with violence. She was the one who took it upon herself to heal the wounded. Those with powers and those without. Everyone needed healing. It was during that time that she saw Wayne Rockwell again. After so many days searching for him, he finally reappeared.

Her husband spent time and energy searching for him because he made a promise to protect him. But Wayne made a promise to The Government. He was an Agent of Silence. A government agent. He promised to protect his country against terrorism. And loyalty to country was more important than loyalty to friend.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I never should have let him in," Target apologized.

"You had no choice. He has the clearance to do so."

"He was rude and disrespectful."

"He's right though," she said, pausing for a moment to remember how he used to be. The way she remembered him most. "He isn't the same person he used to be."

"He must have known him pretty well to see the similarity."

She looked at the young man. "Do you think he knows?"

"That I'm from the future?" Target chuckled at the absurdity. "I don't think so."

"Good. Let's keep it that way. The less that Wayne knows the better."

"The only reason why I'm still here is because you were pregnant with me when I entered into the past."

She stood up, nodding her head. "And I'm glad you are. You've been an extreme help to me this last year."

"You gave me life. The least I can do is protect yours."

Jessica smiled. He was so much like his father. His eyes. His demeanor. His strength of character. She looked at the empty hallway. The elegance fading away with the light of day. "It's been a long day. I should check on David."

Target agreed and followed The Mother into the darkly lit room, stopping in the doorway. The light from the Throne Room cast his shadow on the floor. She walked through the darkness to the crib. The baby rustled in its sleep. Cooing at the imagination of its mind.

She looked down at the infant child. "My little David," she whispered.

Target leaned against the wood of the doorway. Watching Jessica tenderly look upon her child. A young infant who never knew his father like he did. It was strange to him. The child in the crib knew nothing of the life he could've had. The man from the future, Lions, made sure of that. But Target still knew. He still remembered the future he came from and the one he was apart of. He sighed. "Why didn't you tell him you were pregnant?"

Jessica gently touched the baby's hair. "I didn't know." She paused to stroke his sleeping head with her gentle touch. "He didn't even get to know that he had a beautiful baby boy."

Target smiled. "I wish he were here now."

"So do I," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "So do I."

* * *

"Manuel, you may begin."

Manuel cleared his throat and took Philip's place at the head of the table. "Here," he said pointing at the back entrance of the facility, "is where Will, Dawn, and Philip will be. Philip you will be commanding Unit 18."

The leader nodded his head.

"You will be the distraction. I need you to take out as many guards as you can, destroy as much property as possible. Just keep their attention on the front entrance. Jeanette, Lacie and I will be taking the sewer conduit in the rear into the heart of the base here," he pointed to the schematics. A small tunnel line went from a small reservoir, beneath the military base and into a small section in the middle of the station. "From there we will make our way to the generator-"

"And blow it up," Dawn finished his sentence. "I wonder where I've heard this plan before, Bob?" she said to the writer. "Could you be a little more original?"

Manuel nodded his head. "Precisely. The base's power should shut down internally and allow us to take it apart."

"How many charges do you have? That's a large generator. You're going to need a lot of explosives."

"Don't worry, Will," he reassured the new recruit. "We got that covered. You just need to keep them busy so we can do our job."

"Remember, there are humans and evolved humans enlisted as soldiers at Military Base 21," Philip added.

Will nodded his head. "Yeah, and just as a heads up: they have one of The Government's Secret Agents stationed at there. The Invisible Man. Be careful."

Manuel nodded his head.

Will turned to Jeanette. "Be careful."

"I will," she replied.

Dawn couldn't help but see them exchange smiles.

"Okay," Philip said. "Everybody knows what they're doing…"

"There must be a reason for everything that has happened. There must be a reason why these atrocities keep happening. Where is it all leading?"

"…We leave tonight at oh one hundred. Get some rest. Prepare for your assignment. Do whatever you need to do to get ready..."

"Everybody keeps saying that we're in a war. A fight for justice. But there are reasons for wars. If we are soldiers, we must be fighting for something. Is it justice? Is it loyalty?"

He looked at each individual in the room, keeping eye contact to reinforce his point. "In a few hours, we take down the first of three targets. _We are going to take down The Government_."

"I keep thinking that everything we're doing, everything _they're_ doing, is for nothing because what's the point of fighting when all it ever leads to is more death?" – The Narrator

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	55. Shattered Surface

Previously on Ordinary People. Sarah is caught up in a strange new case, full of mystery and an unknown antagonist with extraordinary abilities. The United is preparing to attack their first target: Military Base 21.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN "SHATTERED SURFACE"

(The United)

The clock struck at midnight.

A hanging gloom of overshadowed grey clouds sifted easily through the darkened sky, a complete feeling of the event to come. Darkness. Ominous. It was the night to attack Military Base 21. The clouds acted as a suffocating spy in the sky, smothering the brightness of the white circle. The moon struggled to spread its light in the shadow of night, but a silver gleam managed to slip past the floating black masses.

Military Base 21. Fortitude of strength. Of power. Evolved humans were shipped by the truck-full to it, where they were processed. Interrogated as to whether they were terrorists, against the country, or as patriots, protectors if it. There were some who were found guilty for terrorism. Nobody knew where they went, or how The Government was able to nullify their powers. But those who showed their loyalty enlisted as soldiers for the cause. And so they were trained at Military Base 21. Evolved humans and humans alike fighting alongside each other for a similar goal.

Unit 18. Entitled such for the eighteen individuals it contained. The United had freed a lot of evolved humans. Many stayed to join in its army, but not all of them had offensive weapons at their disposal and not all of them had a useful power to begin with. Unit 18 held soldiers. Evolved humans with useful powers or proficient knowledge in combat and weaponry.

Twenty-one individuals hid in the shadows just outside the perimeter of the military base. They were ready. The first of many missions to come. The United would strike first. The United would draw first blood.

Dawn stood shoulder to shoulder with her old friend. She kept her wondrous and ever curious eyes on the massive building before her. "Will?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"When do you want me to possess you?"

He shook his head. "Not this time, Dawn. We're gonna need all the men we can, and since you're possessing the rock-man already, you should stay in his body."

She slowly nodded her head. "Yeah… okay."

Philip tapped the communicating device in his ear, opening a channel to the other twenty soldiers with him. "Ladies and Gentlemen. This is an important date. We will be making history. The Government's fear and oppression has gone on long enough! Their squabble against evolved humans has become a war, and we are the soldiers. This is the night we fight. This is the night we attack. This is what The United was made for."

(Inspector Brown – New Jersey)

It was only a matter of time. He knew it. Inspector Brown never trusted The Guardian Angel and suddenly she was stealing from an armored bank truck. Vigilantes don't fight crime without payment. Somehow they get their finances. He didn't know how long she'd been stealing money, but she got over confident and made a mistake.

He wasn't going to let her get away again.

The siren blared. It's repetitive squeal rotated evenly in the glass. Lights flashed. A constant beat of red and blue. Intertwining with the brightness of the city lights it created a disorienting order of color. Cars pulled to the shoulder of the street to allow him to pass by more quickly. He pressed harder on the pedal and sped passed them.

Wind blew through his hair from the open windows. Robert Brown abruptly turned the corner. The rubber of his wheels screeched against the street, sending a fleeting message of urgency. He was in a hurry. The engine roared powerfully. The hum vibrated through the metal and across his fingernails. Robert narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth.

He wasn't going to let her get away again.

Static buzzed on the radio frequency. His eyes darted to the device briefly before drawing his attention back to the road. It crackled once more before the voice of Kelsey Walters entered into the car.

"Inspector, there has been reported sightings-"

"If this about a hijacked armored truck then I already know about it."

"What do you plan to do about it? There are rumors that it's The Guardian Angel. The person you would not allow me to arrest-"

"I know all about the rumors, which is why I'm in pursuit-"

"No need, Inspector. I'm already here."

"What?"

He turned another corner. A lamppost was dented, bending backwards like a broken twig in the wind. The glass of the light bulb shattered, pieces of it scattered on the sidewalk. The armored bank truck was on its side, rammed partially in the building wall and the dented lamppost. Kelsey stood next to the wreckage, her car parked not too far away with two other suited men waiting in front of the hood.

Inspector Brown parked his car and stepped out.

"You run quite the city here, Inspector. I'm not impressed."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on business."

"I thought your business concluded at the Warehouse."

Kelsey kept her gaze on the overturned truck. "It did. But I'm here on a new assignment."

The Inspector's eyebrow cautiously went up in question. "What assignment?"

"It has been brought to my attention that this sector has not been fully integrated into The System yet. Why is that?"

"It's taking a little longer than The Government expected," he replied. "That doesn't mean they have to send one of their evolved pets here to make sure I'm doing things correctly."

She cringed slightly at his comment. The term "Evolved Pets" did not bode well with her. "Whether or not you're doing procedure correctly is not up to me. My assignment is get things done. Something you haven't been doing."

"What does that mean for me?"

"Don't worry, Inspector, you are still the head of New Jersey's Police Department. But I will be running most, if not all, precincts in this sector."

"This is my crime scene-"

"Yes, but I'm here to supervise."

He held his tongue.

She casually brushed him off by kneeling down and inspecting the scratches and dents in the rear doors.

He sighed. He glanced at the two silent men that had accompanied her quickly before investigating the armored bank truck wreckage himself.

* * *

Dawn stood alone in the darkness of the shadow of a tree. She stared intently at the large military base. She knew the importance of the mission at hand, but all she could think about was Will and Jeanette. There was definitely something between them. And she was jealous. Not because of Jeanette's and Will's apparent attraction, but because he was not spending as much time with her. It seemed like he was ignoring her.

Will was her only source of family.

He was the first person to care for her for who she was.

But now he was ignoring her, seemingly more interested in Jeanette.

Dawn narrowed her eyes. "Jeanette," she scoffed.

She looked at the other twenty individuals with her. They anxiously waited for Manuel's signal to engage. Some continually checked to see if they're weapons were filled with ammunition, a habit that they couldn't rid themselves of. Others silently stared at the monstrosity of their psyche. No one had done anything like they were attempting to do. If everything went according to plan, then they'd hopefully be the last. But there was always doubt in their minds. Failure was not far behind.

"They're just standing around doing nothing. When are we going to attack?" she whispered to a nearby stranger.

"We're waiting for the signal," he replied.

"I know, but still... I'm bored. What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

He shrugged.

Dawn crossed her arms in annoyance. Glancing at the young man before asking, "What's your power?"

He sighed. "I can mentally control insects."

She slightly chuckled to herself. "Sounds pretty useless."

Sadly, he nodded his head. "You have no idea. So far I can only control flies. And even then, not all of them listen to me."

"Are flies considered insects?"

He shrugged.

"Well, if it makes any difference, I'm sorry. Why are you in Unit 18 then?"

"They needed soldiers. So I volunteered. I may not have a very useful ability, but I can still fill some of those government bastards with bullet holes."

She smiled. "Sometimes I wonder if the people who are reading about my life think if I'm useful or not. I wasn't in the second season very much. And my power is pretty one-dimensional in my opinion."

The soldier shrugged his shoulders, obviously oblivious to her ranting. "I'm just glad I can contribute something to the cause."

She agreed with his sentiments. Even though Will wasn't noticing her, she could do something to make him notice her. She stood up, saluting to the young man before walking off towards Military Base 21.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to make him notice me," she replied with glee.

While Will and Philip discussed the best way to attack the entrance, she made her way off of the shadowy hill towards the large base that held an army of soldiers, human and evolved alike. Dawn continued forward, determined in her plan for attention

The cross-wired fence was the first barrier between her and the concrete walls of the base. She briefly closed her eyes, searching within Mr. Blaire's mind, tapping into the hidden power within him. The rock-like skin burst forth from her pores and covered her entire body. She opened her eyes.

The fence bent easily between her powerful palms, ripping apart like intertwined twigs, snapping and bending to her massive force.

* * *

Manuel, Jeanette and Lacie hid in the camouflage that she surrounded them with, swiftly making it through the conduit. Their feet splashed against the dark colored water. A small draft became stronger as they approached closer to the hidden opening to the generator. Jessica looked at her watch. The time was nearing for them to contact Philip.

"How far are we?" Lacie asked from behind the two.

"A meter away," Manuel replied.

Jeanette bent her head to the side. "Does anybody hear that?"

An odd ringing echoed faintly in the distance.

The three of them stopped running, listening intently to the faint but audible sound coming from the top levels.

Lacie worriedly glanced at her to comrades. "It sounds like an alarm."

A buzzing came from Manuel's com-device. He tapped it and opened a channel. "What?"

"Dawn decided to begin the party a little early," Philip reported from the other line. "I hope you guys have already started."

Without a word, he ran off down the large pipe, followed closely by the two other members of The United.

"Damn it!" Lacie said under her breath.

Manuel halted, underneath a small oblong hole in the roof of the conduit, leading up to the ground level of the base. It was only large enough for one person. He nodded his head. "Okay, this is the spot. Take me up, Jeanette."

She opened her hands and created a force field beneath his feet, slowly making it rise into the hole and to the next level. As soon as there was resistance, she knew that he was where he needed to be.

Manuel's voice came over the com-link. "The room is empty."

Jeanette nodded her head and looked at Lacie. "You're next."

She shook her head. "No, Jeanette. You go. You're better defensively to protect him if there's anything up there. I'll guard down here."

There was no argument. She created a force field underneath her feet and slowly made it rise into the secret entrance.

Lacie watched her go. A devious smile on her face.

* * *

An ambulance arrived on the scene, taking the two unconscious guards away to the hospital. Inspector Brown watched the bodies being carted away onto the large, white vehicle. Their cheeks were rosy, a pinkish hue on the tip of their noses. A few bruises on their faces. As they rolled by, he could only think of The Guardian Angel.

The Guardian Angel was a riddle in his mind. An enigma wrapped in a mystery with a question to unlock the door to its answer. So many questions. Not enough answers. He thought The Guardian Angel was a man before he met her face to face. He knew she was an evolved human, but he didn't know the extent of her powers. And he knew that she was a vigilante, but he didn't know her motives.

He began to contemplate his ability to protect the city when people like The Guardian Angel terrorized it.

Kelsey broke his train of thought. "Inspector, come look at this."

He nodded his head and approached the rear entrance to the armored bank truck. The secret agent held the door open coaxing him to enter. Begrudgingly he complied and stepped inside.

The first thing he noticed was the temperature. It was like a meat locker. Cold. Frigid. His breath rose out of his mouth. Like smoke of his lungs. The materialized air of the freezing truck passed in front of his eyes. "Whoa," was all he could say.

"Look over there," she said pointing to the bags of money.

He kneeled down. His fingers traced over the surface of each bag. They were not even touched, as if The Guardian Angel did not even bother to search through its contents. He made a mental note that the bags were coated with a thin slate of ice, perhaps showing that The Guardian Angel had developed more than one ability. But he couldn't be sure.

The Inspector looked around one last time before stepping out. "It's freezing in there," he stated.

"Any reason as to why?"

He shook his head.

"Is The Guardian Angel even capable of doing something like that?"

He looked back at the overturned bank truck. "I don't know what she's capable of." He paused. "But something does seem out of place."

"Could it be another evolved human?"

"It _could_ be. But there's no clear motive. Who hijacks a bank truck and leave the money?"

"You tell me. This is _your_ city."

"Well _you're_ the one in charge," he shot back.

Something caught his eye. A shadow went across the trucks left side.

"What was that?"

Kelsey automatically tensed her muscles. Clenched her fist.

Inspector Brown glanced to where the two silent men _used_ to be. They were both on the floor. Unconscious and unmoving. Immediately he brought out his Glock pistol. He brought his index finger to his lips, signaling the Secret Agent to go around him to the other side.

With a nod, she moved to where her men were laying while he went the other way, creating a pincer trap to whoever might be on the other side of the bank truck.

The Inspector crept against the overturned vehicle; hand on pistol, finger on trigger. Quickly he turned the corner and lifted his weapon just as Kelsey jumped in front with hers. There was nothing between them but air. He sighed and holstered the pistol.

Kelsey turned around to check on the two unconscious men while Inspector Brown decided to investigate where he hadn't checked yet. He looked into the driver's side of the truck. The Guardian Angel was reportedly driving the vehicle. He was searching for a clue. Anything to give him a lead.

A sparkling object stuck in the seat caught his eye. Reaching inside, he tugged on it until it came loose. The mysterious object was an icicle, perfectly formed. Like the end of a pick, it was pointed at each end and thick in the middle. The icicle was so cold it stung against his skin.

"What the hell?" he mused to himself.

A fleeing figure in the corner of his eye caught his attention. The shadowy figure disappeared into the alley. Quickly he gave chase, running into the darkness with his weapon drawn. It was The Guardian Angel. Before he could get another glimpse, she rose off into the air and disappeared beyond the rooftops.

Inspector Brown stood in the spotlight of the silver rays of the moon. He looked up. To the possibilities of the new case. The mysteries and the bombarding questions that plagued his mind. Raising the icy object to eye level, he made the only observation he could make: The Guardian Angel was involved in a crime. But with all of his bias, he had to admit that anything he thought at that point was purely speculation and nothing more.

* * *

Philip opened a channel on the com-link. "Dawn! Give us some cover!"

"Yes, Sir."

She stretched her arms in front of her body facing towards Unit 18. Using her mind to manipulate the ground, she made pillars of rock burst out from the earth, providing sufficient cover for the rest of the team.

A soldier from Military Base 21 swung his gun. It cracked into two pieces upon contact with her body. She turned around, a grin on her face, and pummeled him into the ground.

The soldiers were no match for Dawn's superior strength and awesome power. The rock-like skin was impervious to bullets, ricocheting off, causing her no pain at all. Her strength wasn't as powerful as Will's, but it definitely rivaled it.

But soldiers continued to defend. There seemed to be a million of them, like swarming ants, attacking her with a group of soldiers. They cooperated exceptionally well even though they had the element of surprise. As if they knew The United was going to attack.

She swung her fist into someone's face, breaking it instantly. Spinning around, her arm hit three more attackers, while others continued to shoot at her from behind.

Dawn picked up a soldier by the Kevlar vest and threw him into the spray of bullet fire. She jumped into the air and crashed down, rumbling the earth beneath them. The soldiers lost their balance, becoming a perfect target for her to attack.

Unit 18 was doing their best to be the distraction, but the battle was becoming overwhelming. Chaos roamed all around them. A vicious battle. They continued to fight valiantly, but odds seemed to be against them.

* * *

One door.

The conduit led them to a small room just outside of The Generator Room.

Jeanette and Manuel stood next to the door.

"Are you ready?"

Manuel nodded his head.

"You won't be coming back-"

"I know what I'm doing, Jeanette."

"Okay," she said with a nod. "Let's do this."

She opened the door and entered first. A low hum and a bright glow emanated from the large generator in the middle of the room. It towered over them, like a powerful battery constantly charging every electrical system in the base.

She looked at the astounding object. Turning to her friend, she gave a reassuring smile.

He nodded his head and walked up to the large device.

A gunshot rang off of the walls.

Manuel fell backwards, propping himself against the generator's outer shell. He held his stomach. A stain rose through the material of his clothes and onto his skin.

Connor Franklin, The Invisible Man, dematerialized.

Jeanette created a force field around her body.

Three bullets flew through the air towards her.

The silver projectiles connected with the invisible shield.

Manuel slid down to the ground, grunting in pain. "Run," he coughed. "Run!"

* * *

Will walked through the bullet fire from the guards who stood in his way.

He needed to get to Dawn.

She was a few feet away, using her new body to shake the earth around her opponents to make them fall into pits and holes created by her mind.

"Dawn!" he yelled.

She turned around and waved her hand while simultaneously punching a soldier with the back of her fist.

He slammed a soldier into the ground. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"When?"

"You attacked without telling anyone."

She took the rifle away from a soldier and hit him over the head with it. "Well I needed to get your attention some how."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Ever since we joined The United you haven't been paying attention to me- behind you!"

Will spun around and caught the fist of an attacking soldier. Closing his fist, he broke his hand and kicked him away. "I'm not paying attention to you?! Dawn, I'm paying attention now, what do you have to say for yourself?!"

"I… I don't know."

"We just declared war, Dawn! I'm not paying attention to you because I'm concentrating on the mission. Get that into your mind. You joined The United. You can't keep doing whatever you want!"

She couldn't respond. He never yelled at her before then. She turned away, unable to look at him anymore, and headed in the direction of Unit 18's wall of cover.

Will sighed as a grenade exploded near his feat.

* * *

Dawn jumped behind the makeshift cover she had created. Alongside the wall, only five other members of Unit 18 sat. Two were firing at the never-ending line of soldiers from the military base, two others were wrapping their injuries, and the fifth was the young man who could control flies.

"Hey, Fly Man," she smiled. "Where's everyone else?"

He looked up at her. Blood trickled out of a cut on his face, and dirt covered most of his clothes. "We can't possibly win this… he should've exploded the generator by now." Bullets flew over head causing him to hug closer to the wall and kneel further to the ground. "I am going to die."

"Well, we definitely aren't going to live much longer if this keeps up."

Suddenly the gunshots subsided. Dawn looked over the wall to see the military base materialize behind a blanket of smoke. Soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the wall. Men lied on the battlefield. Soldiers of Military Base 21 and Soldiers from Unit 18.

Will flew down behind the wall of cover.

Philip leaped over the wall as well, crowding around what was left of Unit 18.

"They just… stopped."

"I can see that."

"What's the status on the generator?"

Philip sighed. "I don't know, no one's responding – what's happening out there?!"

Dawn gasped. "Look at that weird… thing they got over there."

Every one turned to the Military Base. A large satellite like weapon slowly rose out from beneath a retractable section of the roof. The Soldiers did not move. Each of them stared ahead. Taunting them.

A channel opened on the com-link. It was Jeanette. "We're coming in from the left side, give us some cover gentlemen!"

Will was the first to stand up. A cloud of dust blew in every direction as he lifted off into the sky. Philip called the remaining six to rally up behind him as they stormed the front. Weapons drawn. Eyes ablaze. It was now or never.

The mission was a failure.

Now they had to save their friends.

Will crashed down on the line, ferociously beating the unsuspecting men in arms.

Philip opened his hands and let loose a burst of flame, enveloping the ranks of soldiers.

Dawn created a small tremor, rumbling the world around them to a shaking crumbling mass.

The three other soldiers of Unit 18 shot off their final round of bullets.

Military Base 21 was surprisingly taken by surprise. They scattered and fired their weapons in a panic.

Jeanette and Lacie rounded the corner.

Her eyes were glowing again, grabbing the remaining eight in a blanket of camouflage. In a blink of an eye, they disappeared with their surroundings, retreating from the scene.

* * *

Manuel closed his eyes. Trying to lessen the pain that rose through his body. His life ended slowly. The blood trickled out of the wound like a trickling fountain. Imperfect color grabbing onto his skin.

Connor kneeled next to him. "I remember you."

Manuel defiantly spit in his face.

Wiping the saliva from his eye, The Invisible Man pressed his hand on his wound. Manuel yelled in agony. "I hope you realize that the only reason why your mission failed was because we had a spy on the inside of your organization. And I'm sure you're dying to know who it is."

He coughed, the hope of The United slowly fading from his eyes. If there was a mole inside the ranks, everything they could ever plan would end in disaster.

Connor leaned forward and whispered the name of the traitor in his ear.

"No. No that can't be."

He stood up and walked towards the door.

"You're lying!"

He opened the door and allowed a group of soldiers to enter. He turned towards the man on the floor. Before leaving, he nodded his head and said, "Finish him off."

Manuel watched the secret agent leave the room and the soldiers surround him, loading their weapons and bringing them to the fore.

"Check him for the explosives, we don't want anything to go off if we shoot him," the commander told the man to his left.

The soldier briefly checked him. "There aren't any on him, Sir."

Manuel chuckled, despite the pain of doing so. He breathed in deeply and coughed. "You're all idiots. _I'm_ the bomb. And since I'm gonna die anyway, I don't see any reason not to let loose."

Military Base 21 shook as an explosion erupted from The Generator Room.

The smoke cleared.

Several bodies lay charred or in ashes.

But the generator continued to pump power into the building.

The Invisible Man had already taken precautions against such an explosion.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	56. Echo

Previously on Ordinary People. The attack on Military Base 21 was a failure with many casualties. A spy for The Government is in the ranks, but who is it? Sarah must uncover the truth about the mysterious evolved human who terrorizes the city she swore to protect. Casey is on a hunt for revenge.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT "ECHO"

(Sarah White – Sarah's Apartment)

The window opened and a gust of wind entered into the residence of Sarah White. She gently floated on the wind through the wall and into her apartment. The density of her body increased to normal and she landed daintily on the wooden floor.

Her room was empty.

Sarah looked around. Tara was nowhere to be found.

She ripped off her gloves, angrily throwing them on the floor. A frustrated grunt escaped her mouth. It seemed that everything in her life was turning upside down. The very cause of her objective as the city's protector seemed to have become more and more dubious.

The mysterious criminal traveled aimlessly in her psyche.

Why would an evolved human be involved in theft?

All of the evolved humans involved in criminal activities were those who fought against The Government. People like Casey. People who had ideals. Nothing added up. The clue she had to run with was the icicle. And even that wasn't enough to conclude anything.

The entire incident seemed staged.

No stolen money. No collateral damage. Nothing but a calling card. An icicle pierced in the seat. The only thing Sarah could think was that the hijacker wanted attention. The hijacker must have wanted someone to know that she was there.

Her feet glided gently across the wooden planks towards the windowsill. There she looked out at the city skyline. It was draped in the cover of night. A blanket of darkness. Not even a star seemed to shine up above. The perfect atmosphere for a city drenched in moral ambiguity. What was right? What was wrong? Somewhere out there, the hijacker waited. Sarah sighed.

And somewhere out there was Tara.

Sarah couldn't blame her for being mad.

Everything she said was true.

She collapsed on her bed, grabbing at the sheets, and nuzzling her frustration out on the pillow.

Her world was turning upside down. And she didn't know how to handle it.

(The United)

A group of individuals walked stealthily among the bushes of the forest. Silently their feet moved across the dirt, leaving small invisible imprints on the floor as they came across it. Lacie's eyes were in a constant glow, keeping the rest under the camouflage she set around them.

Philip was angry. He clenched his fist and unclenched it every few seconds. His breath was hot, and his eyes were focused. He would not say a word. Dawn walked quietly towards the back of the group with the five other soldiers of Unit 18. They were too shocked to say anything.

Jeanette looked back, trying to see Military Base 21 from a distance. There wasn't even a hint of light. Only the darkened sky. Ominous clouds floated aimlessly across the moon, blocking its brilliance.

Will grabbed her hand.

"Will," she said. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"I… I couldn't put up the force field in time. I didn't… I couldn't see it coming."

He moved closer to her.

"Was it my fault?"

"No," he said. "This was _not_ your fault."

"We failed." She fought back the tears that welled up in the corner of her eyes. "Our first mission. All of our training. It was for nothing."

"No, it wasn't for nothing. We need to regroup and make another plan."

"He's dead," she whispered, choking through teary eyes. "Manuel. He's dead."

"Listen to me," he grabbed her shoulders, tenderly looking into her eyes and brushing away a stray tear. She looked back into his. He smiled. "Everything is going to be fine. We have to move past this. Manuel wouldn't want you to stop everything on account of his death. He would want The United to continue on."

She nodded her head, unconvinced, and looked down. "Okay."

Will brushed away another tear, lifting her chin with the base of his index finger so she would look at him. "Okay?"

Without thinking, Jeanette leaned in and kissed him gently on his lips.

Will embraced her, grabbing her arms to reinforce his security.

Philip cleared his throat.

They broke the lock of their lips.

"We need to keep moving. They might be following us."

Together the group continued through undetected. In the silence that followed, everyone wondered the same thing: What went wrong? They had a perfect plan. They had the perfect players to execute it. But something went wrong. No one spoke their thoughts or their theories about the failed mission. They walked forward in the silence of their minds.

Finally, Jeanette cleared her throat and spoke up. "What happened back there?"

Philip blew out a frustrated sigh. "Ask Dawn."

The mental patient innocently looked at the eyes that were suddenly drawn to her. "What?"

"You were the one who attacked the base without an order," Philip aggressively pointed his finger at her. "We were on a time schedule, what the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was bored."

"You cost us a mission and Manuel's life!"

"I'm sorry," was all she could say.

"'Sorry' won't bring back my second in command, Dawn! 'Sorry' won't give us the last hour back! Don't tell me that you're sorry because it's not going to do any good!"

"Hey," Will interrupted. "Don't yell at her. It wasn't her fault."

"Then whose fault was it? Yours? Mine? Jeanette's?"

"It was nobody's fault. Okay? We were a team out there and we failed as a team. Pointing fingers and blaming won't do us any good. We need to figure out what went wrong, despite who caused it, and work out the kinks. If we're going to attack the base again, we're going to need something more than the element of surprise."

Philip glared into his eyes. A long pause grew as he looked at Will.

Will stared back.

"You're right, Will," he finally said. Shaking his head, clearing his mind. He took a deep breath, looking up at the night sky, silently asking for a miracle. "We need to get back to United HQ."

"How far are we?"

"The entrance is hidden just-"

Jeanette gasped. "Oh my God."

Everyone turned around.

The United's secret headquarters was cleverly put with precautions to keep The Government from ever finding them. The underground base was hidden underneath a hatch. The hatch door was beneath a small electrified force field and a layer of dirt and foliage to make it seem like the rest of the terrain.

But something dreadful had happened.

Dirt and leaves were painted black with smoke and soot. A crater filled the hole where the hatch door lay torn from its hinges, melted and dented. It looked as if someone had planted a bomb and blew it open. Destroying the area around it. The force field. The plant life. It was gone. Covered in a layer of dark powder from the explosive charge.

Philip ran ahead of the group. "No, no, no, no…"

Jeanette covered her mouth. "Oh my God."

"I thought no one knew about this place," Will said.

Dawn followed behind the leader. "Apparently someone did."

* * *

Through the glass of the window, a shadow fell across the floor. The moon shined brightly behind the figure. The white glow of its eyes inspected the inside of the apartment. Sarah lied on her bed, sleeping or resting, it couldn't tell. The body liquefied its arms and opened the window, partially turning the rest of its body into water.

Sarah opened her eyes. "I thought I told you not to come here anymore."

A shadowy figure slithered through the open window. "You never said that."

She sat up in the bed. "Well I'm saying it now: get out and don't come back."

Casey reformed her watery body into flesh, walking closer to The Guardian Angel. "Sarah, I'm here to talk."

"That sounds familiar. But the last time you barged in here, I wound up with one of your kids and went on the radar of a government secret agent."

She took a quick glance around the perimeter. "Speaking of which: where is Tara?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Did I stutter? She ran away."

"And you didn't stop her?! Sarah, she might be captured, or worse-"

"She's your problem, Casey. You can't keep throwing your burdens on me. I have important things that I need to attend to without having to fight your battles and baby sit your kids."

"That's right. You're too bust saving _your_ city."

Sarah nodded her head.

"Do you know what's happening out there?"

"I have a pretty good guess."

"The Government has made the first move. They killed…" she drifted off, angrily hiding a tear by turning to the window, looking out towards the city. She took a deep breath to compose herself. "They killed one of us."

"The Government doesn't kill-"

"Why are you defending them?!" Casey spun around, eyebrows furled, teeth bared. Her eyes became glossy with fresh tears. "You're an evolved human too! They are going to find you and kill you just like the rest of us!"

"Then thanks to you I'm a little bit closer to my destiny."

Casey slammed her fist against the wall. "Why do you keep fighting me? I'm on your side, Sarah! We are fighting the same fight-"

"No, you're trying to tackle something bigger than yourself. I'm fighting for justice. I'm fighting something that can be beaten."

"Justice? Look around you, Sarah, there's no justice anywhere! Yourself included. You think killing those criminals solves anything? You're nothing but a serial killer who fights in something that doesn't exist anymore."

"You don't understand-"

"No, _you_ don't understand. Fighting one is fighting the other. You're protecting a city that's integrated into The System-"

"It's not integrated yet. I'm making sure of that."

"Well, it's going to be sooner or later. And when that happens, every law you break, every murderer you kill, you will be breaking The Government's law, you will be murdering a criminal that The Government will put into its own 'justice' system. Once it gets integrated you will be apart of the problem and then they will handle you the only way they know how: eradication."

Sarah shook her head. "Not going to happen."

"Look at what you're doing! Open your eyes, Sarah, this is a war! They're fighting us and we should be fighting back. And we are. We are going to-"

"Who are you talking about? Who is this 'we' you keep referring to? Where's your little gang? Where's Tara? Where's Alec? You're standing in front of me alone, without any backup whatsoever."

Casey cringed. Holding her breath. Hurting inside.

She stood up, providing a stand against the young woman. "Are you going to rally up all evolved humans everywhere to fight for your cause? They're too afraid to do anything. Is your little group gonna take on The Government by themselves? You're too small-"

"At least _I'm_ doing something!"

"Oh," she smirked. "Okay, now we're getting somewhere. _You're_ doing something. _You're_ going to take down The Government. By yourself. Looks like I'm not the only one fighting with something that doesn't exist."

"Damn it, Sarah! You have no idea what I'm going through!" Casey yelled in anger, lunging forward and pinning Sarah against the wall. The room shook. And the sound of Casey's screams filled their ears. "_Alec is dead_! Okay?! Alec is dead!"

Sarah stared back. Completely in shock.

"She killed him in front of me and I am going to kill her!"

She cleared her throat, staring deep into Casey's eyes. She felt her grasp loosen on her shoulders. Soon they stood face to face in a silence that was louder than the streets below. Casey took a deep breath, shuddering from her sudden burst of outrage. Sarah cleared her throat again.

"Revenge. So that's what you're after? Revenge?"

Casey nodded her head. "That woman. The secret service agent. She gave the order. I know she's here somewhere. I am going to find her… and make her pay for what she did."

Sarah listened to her words with a renewed interest. It was in the way she said, and now everything made sense. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Casey brought her eyes to hers.

"You're the one who hi-jacked the truck."

Casey took a deep breath. "I wanted her to know that I'm close. She killed him, Sarah..."

Sarah shook her head. "I'm sorry about Alec, Casey."

"Don't pretend like you care about me."

"I don't. I cared about Alec."

She took another breath of fresh air from the open window. "Sarah, you have no idea how important this is to me. Your help… I could really use it."

"No. And, I'm sorry, but you should walk away from this whole thing-"

"You can't tell me to do that-"

"Casey, killing her won't help. It won't bring him back."

She was boiling up on the inside. She didn't want to hear logical. She didn't want hear rational. The only thought in her mind was revenge. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"I'm sorry, Casey. I can't be involved with this. I'm sorry, but Alec is dead, Danny is dead… you're going to die too if you pursue this course."

"Danny isn't dead."

"What?"

"He's at The Lighthouse Mansion."

Sarah turned her head in thought.

"He doesn't want to be apart of it either."

"He's just a kid."

Casey nodded in agreement.

"I should go visit him. Make sure he's okay."

"He seemed fine when I saw him."

"Well, the last time I saw him, he was holding a rifle. I want to see him for myself. He was Mike's son. The least I could do is see how he's doing."

Casey sighed, stepping out of the window and onto the ledge. "Your loyalty to this city is misplaced. Maybe my loyalty in you is too. But I want you to know that wherever she is, even if she's here, I am going to find her. And you can't stop me."

Sarah exhaled slowly, feeling for the first time in months, a sense of sympathy for her.

"Casey," she said slowly. "Be careful."

* * *

It was a massacre.

Bodies strewn across the floors of the underground base like shattered pieces of glass. Each face reflecting a piece of what The United stood for, but sadly, it all faded into a memory as the men and women of the organization lied on the ground. Their faces frozen in fear. Locked in the grip of death. Eyes screaming in pain. A river of blood oozed through the piles of flesh. Gun powder. Burn marks. There was no struggle.

It was a massacre.

Philip searched every room. Every compartment. Every corner looking for a survivor.

But there was none.

It was complete. A swift death.

He stood in the hallway. Looking over the fresh bodies. Feeling the blood on the walls. Smelling the stench of death. His fists were clenched. His mouth hung partially open, too shocked too speak.

But his eyes spoke for him.

They spoke for vengeance.

He was their leader, but he could do nothing to stop the horrible scene from happening.

"Who could have done this?"

Jeanette stood next to her leader. She shook her head. There was no answer.

Will took her hand into his.

Philip turned towards what was left of The United. Jeanette. Will. Dawn. Lacie. Five members of Unit 18. That was it. "I don't know what to say… they're all dead. We're the only surviving members of The United." He swallowed the large amount of sorrow that was in his throat and looked at Lacie. "You don't have to keep us camouflaged anymore."

She pulled shook her head, pulling out a taser from her back pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not camouflaging you."

Suddenly the walls of the room shimmered, distorting and warping into various shapes until a group of soldiers from Military Base 21 took its place. They cocked their rifles and pointed them at the nine other individuals. Three of the soldiers held a weapon that looked like a hand held version of the odd satellite that they saw on the roof of the military base.

Lacie shook her head. "Don't try anything heroic."

* * *

Sarah flew down the road on her motorcycle. During the ride to The Lighthouse Mansion, she thought of her conversation with Casey. She would not join the fight against The Government because it did not concern her. She had a duty to protect the city. The Government was not harming her city, so she did not attack The Government. Casey didn't understand that.

She wanted revenge.

A noble cause that could only lead to disaster.

The Lighthouse Mansion approached quickly and Sarah parked her motorcycle in the foliage of the beautiful garden. She hid in the shadows of the night, brushing past the beauty and concentrating on getting inside. Sarah had found over the last year that a cautious attitude in an unknown area can make a potentially dangerous situation into a winnable battle.

She walked through the golden gates, quickly deviating from the cement path that led to the mansion. She crept in the cover of the bushes and trees until she came across two men, guards, that stood on the path, a few feet from the bend that led to the large home.

Quickly weighing her options, she stepped out of the brush and confronted them.

The first guard lifted his rifle. "Stop!"

She lifted her arms. "I'm only here for a visit."

"Who are you?"

"I have a friend here-"

The second guard nudged her arm with the butt of his rifle. "Answer the question!"

Sarah glared at him. "Don't touch me."

"Answer the damn question!"

He moved his rifle to push her again, but she caught it with her hand. The metal bent in her palm. "I told you not to touch me."

"It's an evolved human!"

Before they could do anything, she moved into action. With a quick punch to the face, Sarah knocked them out.

She walked past them and turned around the corner.

A squadron of soldiers stood in single file behind two large tanks, both rolling slowly on the grass, pointing their cannons at The Lighthouse Mansion. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in front of the squad, tentatively walking ahead of them. Overhead, four helicopters flew by, the rotating edges silently cutting through the wind. They hovered above the soldiers, acting as a type of reinforcement. A large satellite-like device was in the middle of the single file soldiers, being pulled by ten men. The odd weapon was aimed directly at the mansion.

The residences of The Lighthouse Mansion were in for a big surprise.

Sarah sighed. "Oh crap."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	57. Wine Red

Previously on Ordinary People. The United has been brutally massacred and the traitor has been identified. What will become the others? Wayne Rockwell and Kelsey Walters stands in front of The Lighthouse Mansion with an army behind them. What is in store for The Mother and everyone who lives inside?

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE "WINE RED"

(Sarah White – The Lighthouse Mansion)

A squadron of soldiers stood in single file behind two large tanks, both rolling slowly on the grass, pointing their cannons at The Lighthouse Mansion. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in front of the squad, tentatively walking ahead of them. Overhead, four helicopters flew by, the rotating edges silently cutting through the wind. They hovered above the soldiers, acting as a type of reinforcement. A large satellite-like device was in the middle of the single file soldiers, being pulled by ten men. The odd weapon was aimed directly at the mansion.

The residences of The Lighthouse Mansion were in for a big surprise.

Sarah sighed. "Oh crap."

* * *

Danny turned in his sleep. His eyes constantly moved within the confines of his eyelids. A small ripple of time echoed across his mind as his pupils rapidly searched for the images of his subconscious. It could be a dream. It could be a nightmare. There was no way of telling one it was. He saw people and places that seemed familiar. Destruction and death. Heroes and Villains. All surrounded his psyche like a blanket, covering every aspect of his sleeping world.

The door to the room slowly opened. Jessica stepped inside, listening to the young boys urgent whimpers for reality. She gently rocked her son in her arms, slowly inching forward to the troubled youth. Danny shifted uneasily. He said names. He spoke words. He was scared. He was happy. His mind revealed things that he didn't understand, but it gave him access to so many emotions.

"Danny," she whispered.

He viciously turned to his side.

"Wake up, Danny, you're having a bad dream."

He huddled closer to the sheets, shivering as if he was cold.

"Danny," she repeated. "Danny."

He opened his eyes.

She stood up straight.

He turned over onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.

"It was only a dream," she whispered to him.

"You were in it." His voice was monotonous and cold.

"Yeah?"

He nodded his head, never blinking, always keeping his gaze upon the ceiling.

"What happened in the dream?"

"You were with your husband."

The words stung her.

"You were with your husband and your baby boy."

She couldn't understand how he knew she had a husband.

"But then I saw you alone. So scared. So desperate."

She sat on the edge of the bed next to him, kindly shushing him with his index finger. "It was only a dream."

"You didn't know what you were going to do without them."

She shuddered unexpectedly. "It was only a dream." She said it more to calm herself than to relax him.

He blinked. "I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry."

Suddenly Sarah walked through the wall and into the room.

Jessica stood up, quickly grabbing hold of Danny and holding him close. She put her hand in front of her body ready to use her gift to inflict some bodily harm if necessary.

She raised her hands in innocence.

Danny pushed Jessica's hand down. "Wait, I know her," he gave her a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Um… there's something you should see outside."

(The United)

"Who could have done this?" Philip asked into the air.

Jeanette stood beside him, shaking her head. The answer was obvious. There was none.

Will took her hand into his, squeezing it. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay. But he knew that it wasn't. There were no words to describe the horrible monstrosity that had happened. His small gesture would have to be enough.

Philip turned towards what was left of The United. Jeanette. Will. Dawn. Lacie. The remaining five members of Unit 18. That was it. He cleared his throat, searching for the right words to say. "I… I don't know what to say… they're all dead… We're… we're the only surviving members of The United." He swallowed the large amount of sorrow that was in his throat and looked at Lacie. "You don't have to keep us camouflaged anymore."

She shook her head, pulling out a taser from her back pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not camouflaging you."

Suddenly the walls of the room shimmered, distorting and warping into various shapes until a group of soldiers from Military Base 21 took its place. They cocked their rifles and pointed them at the nine other individuals. Three of the soldiers held a weapon that looked like a hand held version of the odd satellite that they saw on the roof of the military base.

It was betrayal.

Lacie shook her head. "Don't try anything heroic."

Philip clenched his fist. The anger that was already building from the massacre of his friends began to bubble. The frustration and confusion began to take form. And its name was Lacie.

"Keep your hands where I can see them. And pass any weapons you might have over here." She pointed at the ground near her feet to reinforce her point.

"What are you doing?" Philip repeated.

"What does it look like? Now kick your weapons over here!"

He yelled in a furious scream. A rage. Blind by a hot flash of adrenaline that took control of his entire body. The only figure that was in focus was the traitor. The woman who betrayed The United. The woman who betrayed him.

Lacie hesitantly pulled the trigger.

Philip jerked back, the small-centralized shocks piercing his skin like electrified rods. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Both of his legs twitched, giving out from under him.

She took a deep breath, regaining poise.

Jeanette caught him before he fell. She looked at Lacie, confusion in her face. "What's going on? I tried to put a force field in front of him but nothing happened! What did you do?!"

Will tried to extend the telekinesis field around his body through the floor to Lacie so that she wouldn't move, but as soon as he did, a powerful feeling of numbness overcame him. He couldn't use his power.

Jeanette held onto Philip's body. "What did you do?! Why are you doing this?!"

"The Government has developed a prototype weapon that nullifies abilities. It works like a radio jamming system except on a different frequency. As long as you are in front of its path, your powers are no longer going to be useful. Now do what I told you to do or I'm going to _shoot _Philip." She paused to look at their faces. She took another breath. "In front of everyone."

Will turned to Unit 18 and nodded his head. They dropped their rifles, kicking them across the steel floor towards Lacie. She nodded her head and a soldier retrieved the weapons, quickly heading back to the line.

"Why?" Jeanette asked. "Why are you doing this?"

Lacie shook her head, her lip quivering slightly. "I can't live in constant fear, Jeanette. I can't keep doing this, always fearing the day when The Government captures me and does whatever the hell they do to us. And I'm not going to wait around to find out by running suicide missions to take them down. It's can't be done, Jeanette. These prototypes are the evidence of that. You might have declared war with your little raid on Military Base 21, but they have been planning for this moment way before we even started The United. They are two steps ahead of everyone. You started it, but they are going to end it. Quickly."

"You can't honestly believe that. The United stands the greater good, Lacie. It stands for everything that we don't have to fear. You won't have to live in fear if you help us to take The Government down. The quicker we do the better it will be for all evolved humans everywhere. The moment you allow them to take control of your life-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it, I already made my choice. As long as I do what The Government asks me to do, they will keep me safe. From anybody. Okay? I will be safe from anybody! Can you guarantee that?!" her voice quivered.

Jeanette stood up, allowing Will to help her lift Philip's unconscious body. "Can they guarantee that?"

Lacie glared angrily at her. She turned to the soldier next to her. "Take them outside. And make sure those weapons are pointed at them at all time!"

* * *

Danny looked through the blinds. His fingers bent the plastic lines to let the scene into the room. Bright lights from the tanks and helicopters casting their shadows against the wall. The silhouettes of the soldiers marching forward were immense and intimidating. A sea of shadow in the darkness of night. A strange weapon moved slowly behind from soldiers who pulled it. And Wayne Rockwell led the army.

Jessica gritted her teeth. "Wayne…"

"You know him?"

"I _knew_ him. Not anymore." She turned around, heading for the door.

Sarah followed her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to put an end to this."

Danny remained where he was. He watched as the world as he knew it came to a close. He didn't know why, but he felt that something was definitely going to change. The atmosphere called for it. For better or worse, reality was going to become another nightmare.

* * *

Target rushed through the hallway. "Mother, there is an army-"

"I know."

"It's Agent Wayne again-"

"I know."

"Who's this?"

She looked at Sarah. "I don't know. Danny knows her."

Sarah nodded her head. "Sarah."

"You can call me Target."

Jessica walked ahead of them, making her way to the double doors in front of the mansion. Her robes flowing her feet like the garments of a powerful goddess. She entered into the battleground with her head high. There was no remorse in her eyes.

Target stopped walking, slowing to a halt. Finally stopping at the doorway, he looked out through the window.

"Why are we stopping?"

"She'll handle this."

"She's carrying a baby. Don't you think we should help her?"

He smiled. "She doesn't need any help."

Wayne lifted his arm. The soldiers stopped marching, their breath rising up like mist in the early morning. The tank stopped rolling, the cannons pointed forward at the immense building before it. The helicopters hung in the air, silently beating the wind with its blades. Kelsey crossed her arms as The Mother approached them.

"What are you doing here?" Jessica demanded. "My home is off limits."

"I asked you a question the last time I was hear. It was in regards of the terrorists you helped. Are you going to tell me where they are or am I going to have to force you?"

"I told you already: I don't know where they are. I helped them and then they left."

"Are any of them still with you?"

She glared at him.

He met her gaze. "Well?"

"Get off of my lawn."

"Jessica, if you are harboring fugitives of the law then I'm going to have to arrest them."

The baby in her arms cooed softly.

"Get out of here, Wayne, I don't want to have to do anything drastic."

"No, Jessica, _I_ don't want to have to do anything drastic. I am going to give you one last chance: bring out the fugitives or I am going to order this army to storm your house."

She clenched her fist.

He nodded his head. "I'm trying to give you chances, Jessica. I know we were friends in the past. You know that I cared about my friendship with David-"

"I told you not to say his name! You left us, Wayne. You never cared about us-"

"Jessica, you are leaving me no choice but to throw that away!" He lifted his hand, a signal to his men to arm the weapon. An electrified hum boomed from the base. Small beeps and blips signified that it was in working condition. It was on.

She shook her head. "I won't do it. I'm not going to give him up. He's just a boy!"

"Fine." Reaching out, he grabbed her son, kicking her to the floor. The small child screamed in terror. Leaving the protective arms of his mother's arms was unbearable. But he could do nothing. Wayne held him tight, a ray light seeping from his fingernails.

"Wayne! Give him back!"

"Give me the terrorists and you'll get your son back."

She concentrated on his skin, picturing it melting off of his face. Her body went numb. Confused, she concentrated harder, trying to sense his bodily functions. His breathing. His heartbeat. Anything. "What's happening?" She looked at her hands.

"Give me the terrorist and your son won't die."

"What did you do to me?!"

"You can't use your powers. I, on the other hand, have a disrupter implanted in me so that the frequency won't affect me." The light cast the shadow away from her son's face. The light was beautiful, but it held pain.

"No! Please, don't hurt him."

"Give them to me and I won't."

"Okay," she whispered. "I'll do it."

* * *

Jessica burst through the double doors.

Target and Sarah were waiting for her.

"I saw what happened," he said. "Why didn't you-"

"They have a weapon that can nullify my powers… I couldn't do anything. They're going to kill him, Target, we need to give him Danny."

"What?"

"I know, I feel terrible about it, but he has my son and he's holding your future, Target. If he kills him you'll disappear from history."

He bit his lip. He knew what they had to do, but he didn't like it.

Sarah looked out through the window. The baby cried in the agent's arms. She took a deep breath. "You already told him that you'd give him up, didn't you?"

Jessica nodded her head. "I had no choice. He was going to kill-"

"I understand. You were doing what you had to do. Who else is here besides Danny?"

"He's the only one."

"He only wants one kid?"

"He wants anybody that is affiliated with the terrorists."

Sarah looked at the army one last time. "Fine. Okay, what we need now is a plan."

* * *

"Move!"

Dawn fell forward, tripping over the steps that led back into the forest.

"Get up!"

A strong hand ripped her from the floor and back into an upright position. The rifle butt jammed into her back, forcing her to move quicker. She wanted so badly to turn around and punch the soldier in the face, but she feared the bullets inside the weapon he held.

It was an odd sensation to actually fear something.

She was now vulnerable to attack. Vulnerable to pain.

Each individual was lined up in row. Unit 18 down to Philip. They faced the underground entrance. The soldiers formed a line behind them, holding their rifles erect, pointed at the back of their heads.

Philip had recovered slightly from the electric shock to his system. He stood, fumbling to regain his balance every now and then. He supported his weight on Jeannette. Although he kept his composure, on the inside, he was raging with fury. He looked at her with hatred. Passionate hatred. He wanted to unleash the fire that burned within him. He wanted to make her pay for being responsible for the death of his friends. The United. It was now a memory. A memory that he wanted to burn into Lacie's mind, but every time he thought about using his abilities, the odd sensation overcame him. The numbness.

Lacie dialed a number on her cell phone. "I have them."

Connor was on the other line. "Then execute them."

She swallowed her guilt. "Are you sure? We can still get information out of them concerning Petrelli or Nakamura-"

"It will only waste time. Execute them now."

She looked at Philip. He glared at her before turning away. She nodded her head. "Okay."

"And Lacie?"

"Yes, Agent Franklin?"

"Execute them yourself."

"What?"

"I want _you_ to pull the trigger."

"But-"

"It will prove to me that your loyalties are to The Government."

She bit her lip. The phone shaking in her grasp.

"Is that clear?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, Sir."

"Good." And then silence.

She stood still, the phone still up to her ear, quivering in her hand.

Philip stood next to Jeanette, who stood next to Will. Dawn was immediately to his right, next to the Fly Man and the other members of Unit 18. They kept their eyes forward. Expecting the worse.

The leader took Jeanette's hand into his. "We are united."

She nodded her head, grasping Will's.

He took Dawn's palm into his own.

She smiled.

All of their hands intertwined to form a connected line. A United front.

Lacie walked slowly in front of the line, looking down, too ashamed to look at any of them in the eyes. She took a pistol out of one of the soldier's holsters, loading a magazine of bullets. She stood behind the first member of the United. He was a young man, perhaps in his late twenties. She knew him as Frank. The fact that she knew every single one of them made everything much harder to do.

The barrel kissed the back of his head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

And she pulled the trigger.

* * *

The doors of the Lighthouse Mansion opened and Jessica walked out, followed by Sarah, Danny and Target. They were all thinking the same thing. Failure. There was no plan. There was no option out of the inevitable. Sarah tried to think of a way to get both without risking unnecessary death on both sides, but there were no reasonable instances where that could happen.

It was the first time she had been up against The Government itself. The representatives of what The Government stood for. Any previous encounters were accidental. But this time, it was her choice. She was not part of the conflict, but Danny was. She didn't want him to get arrested. He was just a boy. Innocent. The war was already shaping his thinking, but she also had an obligation to his father. She needed to protect him.

Danny walked next to her. "Tell me you have a plan."

"I'm working on it."

They approached the army. A solemn hush came over the proceedings. A low howl of wind blew above them, screeching to the moon and its darkness.

Wayne smiled. "I'm glad I can trust you to do the right thing, Jess."

Jessica glared at him. "You're pathetic."

Kelsey stepped in. "Where's the other one? Where's the girl?"

Sarah held her breath, expecting them to assume she was the other 'girl'. She still wasn't ready to be part of the conflict.

Danny sadly looked at the ground. "She has a name. It's Tara-"

"No, the other girl. The older one. Where is she?" Her words was slightly rushed.

Wayne cleared his throat. "Where is Casey Walker?"

The Guardian Angel looked at Kelsey. There was fear in her eyes.

Jessica shook her head. "I don't know. He's the only one that I have."

"Unacceptable," Kelsey sneered.

"What more do you want? He's all I have."

"Then we'll have to take the boy."

Sarah closed her eyes. The voice of Mike echoed suddenly in his mind. Her conversation with Tara bounced around her subconscious. She accused her of being selfish yet she was selfishly hiding herself. Mike's words of choice reminded her of why she chose to protect the city. To be its guardian angel. It was to help people. "Wait!"

All eyes turned to Sarah.

She had a plan. It was stupid, but it was the only idea that she could think of that wouldn't end in complete disaster. "If you're going to take him, then take me too."

"What are you doing?" Danny whispered. "You're not apart of this-"

"I'm terrorist. Arrest me too."

Wayne curiously looked over her. "Odd. I've never seen you before. Heroic to give yourself up like that. Stupid, but heroic. Too bad heroes don't exist anymore. Arrest her along with the boy."

Kelsey placed handcuffs on Danny's wrists, pulling him away from the group.

"I'm sorry," Jessica said to him.

Sadly, he nodded his head. He knew why she allowed it to happen.

Target approached Wayne. "The baby?"

The Agent nodded his head and gave him over to The Mother's guardian.

Kelsey put the metal bines around Sarah's wrists.

She smiled. "You're concerned about Casey because she swore to kill you, aren't you?"

She nervously looked down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"She wants you dead."

"Shut up."

"You first!" Sarah brought her fists up into her face. She wrapped her hand around her neck, grabbing her hair and forcing onto her knee. She turned to Danny. "Get out of here!"

The army pointed their guns.

"Don't shoot him. We need him alive," Wayne commanded.

Danny tried to run, but a rifle butt to the face stopped him from escaping.

Target grabbed Jessica's hand and ran towards the mansion.

"No!" She exclaimed. "They need our help!"

"David can't die. You need to protect him and I need to get you out of harm's way."

Kelsey regained her balance and opened her hand. A powerful shockwave of sound forced Sarah to the ground. She pulled a gun out of her holster and walked towards the fallen woman.

Sarah closed her eyes. She knew it was a stupid plan, but she was resolved in what she did.

An explosion.

Bullet fire from the right.

She opened her eyes.

Tara stood on top of a hill holding an AK 47, firing off round after round of bullets at the large satellite weapon. Her face was ablaze with a madness that only patriots knew. A bag hung loosely off of her shoulder. She reached inside and pulled out a grenade. Ripping the pin out of it, she threw it at the machine, exploding the transmitter.

The attack was surprising. Everyone stood still, watching the fire rise higher around the nullifying device, before they realized what was happening.

Chaos and pandemonium ensued.

"Where the hell did she come from?!" Kelsey exclaimed.

"Tara!" Sarah yelled to her. "Get down!"

The army of soldiers brought their weapons to attention and fired back. The young woman lunged behind the hill, escaping certain death.

Target looked at the ensuing battle from the front porch of the mansion. "I'm going back to help them. Keep him safe. I'll be back."

Jessica nodded her head and closed the doors.

Sarah intensified the density around her fist. She punched Kelsey in the face.

A blast of intensified light brought her to the floor. She quickly got up around and rushed Wayne to the ground.

He pressed his hands against her stomach and unleashed another powerful blast.

Sarah flew in the air, landing safely after decreasing her density. The soldiers were slowly making their way towards the hill. She left the fight to defend Tara from their attacks.

Tara slowly crept up the hill, courageously participating in the fight. Taking out the final few bombs from her bag, she randomly threw the rest of her grenades.

Explosions everywhere. Bodies flying into the air. Debris flew in every direction. But it wasn't enough. There were still many soldiers. There was still the tanks and helicopters.

Target jumped into the sky creating a violent vortex of air. Winds whisked all around him, throwing any loose object in his path erratically towards the army. Landing back on the ground, he brought his hands up, twisting them in circles, masterfully controlling the twister of wind as it ran through the helicopters, destroying their trajectories and crashing them back to earth.

Sarah grabbed Danny's hand and ran to the hill, using her molecularly dense body to protect him from enemy fire. Tara hugged close to the ground. She smiled as Sarah rounded the hump.

"Am I glad to see you!" She said between breaths. "I never thought I'd say that."

Danny's mouth hung open. "Tara? I thought you were dead!"

She happily wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him as if she needed proof that he was real. "I did too, Danny. I did too."

Sarah glanced over the hill before turning back to the young girl. "Why are you here? Where'd you get all of those grenades?"

"There was a stash back at Casey's apartment… but I had to prove you wrong." Sternly she looked into Sarah's eyes. "I'm not a selfish brat like you think I am."

Sarah ginned. "I've never been so happy to have been proved wrong."

Target grabbed the air around him, manipulating it into a condensed ball of fury. Pushing it outward, the incredible strength of it pushed the tanks over on their sides. Using the wind as his force, he sped away before anybody could point their rifles in his directions, moving to a different position to attack.

Sarah saw it. Making a quick decision, she nodded her head and grabbed the children's hands. "I want you two to go with that man. He's The Mother's guardian and he'll protect you."

"But-"

"Please."

They nodded their heads.

"When I tell you to, run to him."

They nodded their heads.

She became intangible, running through the lines of men towards Target. He bravely fought as many as he could, desperately trying to avoid a conflict with Wayne or Kelsey. She approached him. "Hey!"

He punched a soldier in the face and pushed him back with a gust of wind. "I'm a little busy."

"I need you to protect Danny and Tara. They're just over the hill."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Provide cover. I'll give them as much cover as I can, but I need you to keep the army busy."

"Okay."

She decreased her density so that she increased in speed. Almost floating off of the ground, she ran to the hill calling their names. They rounded the hill, taking refuge with her dense body. Sarah increased density. The bullet fire ricochet off of her back.

Target jumped into the fray, creating miniature tornadoes, enough to blow dust in their eyes, compromising their vision. "Run!" he yelled to them.

She nodded to them. "Go. I'll be fine."

Tara complied, taking her brother's hand and running towards Target.

Sarah watched them go. As soon as they were in his care she turned around and fled the seen.

The battle was done.

She knew what she had to do. Although she still didn't agree with the idea of fighting The Government, she knew that she couldn't let them continue what they were doing. They were already attacking her city. And she needed all the help she could get.

Target burst into the mansion, Tara and Danny following closely behind him. "Mother!" he called out.

She appeared with a packed bag. "I have some contacts elsewhere. Their movements are erratic, but if we go now, I think I can find them."

"Okay," he agreed. "Let's go."

* * *

The dust hung in the air, small clumps of the tiny particles floated back to earth. A few soldiers lied on the floor. Dead. But the majority had minor injuries. Temporarily blinded by the dust storm. The machine was salvageable. Bits of melted shell hung loosely at its side, but it was still standing. The bowl of the satellite was damaged, but easily fixable.

Wayne stood among the disruption. An angry sigh left his nostrils. "Damn."

"At least we know the weapon works," Kelsey chimed in.

Nodding his head, he opened a com-link. "Destiny, we're going to need a pick up. And some new coordinates."

"Yes, Wayne. A transport is on its way."

"Good," he replied. He turned to the machine. "This isn't over."

* * *

The gunshot rang eerily in the forest. Echoing off of the trees and colliding with the greenery above the tops, sending it back down to the residence of the wood. They flinched with every pulling of the trigger. It meant that they were one second closer to their death. It meant that The United was about to be extinct, put away forever.

Lacie pulled the trigger.

A young woman of Unit 18 fell to the ground.

She wiped the tear from the corner of her eye.

The Fly Man was next.

He held his breath. Eyes closed. Teeth jammed into his bottom lip.

The pistol touched the skin of his neck.

He started to hyperventilate.

Dawn shook her head. "Be strong, Fly Man! Be strong!"

Lacie hesitated. Her hand began to tremble. The wrinkles in her face scrunched further as she fought back any sign of weakness.

The young man took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again.

"Long live The United-"

Lacie pulled the trigger.

His legs crumbled beneath the dead weight.

Dawn opened her mouth to say something. Nothing came out.

Will squeezed her hand, silently telling her that he was still there.

The traitor lifted the gun.

She closed her eyes.

The pistol hung behind her head.

"For all you reading about my life," she whispered. "Good-bye."

"I'm sorry."

And she pulled the trigger.

A click.

Dawn's eyes snapped open. "She's out of bullets?! Yes!"

Lacie took a deep breath. It was coincidence that she never thought about reloading the weapon. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Can I… C-c-can I have another round?" she asked a nearby soldier. Her voice trembled. It shook uncontrollably.

She loaded the weapon.

Dawn stamped her foot. "Damn!"

Lacie cocked the pistol and lifted it again. It seemed like it was a million pounds in her fingers. It took everything she had to raise it to the back of their heads and pull the trigger. She tried to compose herself, but guilt was swimming through every ounce of her body.

"Can you feel it?" Philip said.

The gun quivered.

"The heat. It gets pretty hot in hell."

"Shut up, Philip."

"How does it feel? Killing your friends-"

"Shut up!" It got heavier with every second. "Please, just shut up."

"How can you do it? How can you pull the trigger?"

She closed her eyes. "Shut-"

The world froze.

Her hand no longer shook uncontrollably with guilt. Her eyes kept still.

Their faces were stuck in time. Birds did not fly. The trees did not wave in the wind.

Time had stopped.

Two men appeared as if from nowhere. One was tall. Caucasian. A long slender face. A scar across his nose. His hair was slicked back, stubble across his chin. He wore a dark trench coat over dark pants and a grey pull over shirt. He had a face of kindess that was jaded with violence. The second was shorter. Asian. A chubby rounded face. A sword hung in its sheath on his back. He wore a black jacket that wrapped around his body. A small patch of facial hair. He had a face of joy that was jaded with violence.

Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura stood in front of The United.

"Peter. Look."

"I know. We were too late."

"There's only four left."

"Take these two. I'll take the others."

Peter took hold of Dawn and Will while Hiro grabbed Jeanette and Philip.

They closed their eyes and concentrated.

In a matter of seconds, they disappeared and time snapped back to normal.

"-up!" Lacie yelled.

But she was yelling at nothing. They were gone.

The soldiers confusedly looked around their surroundings.

Lacie dropped the gun to her side. Perplexed. Confused. She had just killed people that she knew for a government that hunted people like her. She killed people for a selfish reason. And she didn't even finish the job. Somehow they were gone. Disappeared.

Once The Government found out about her failure they'd surely kill her.

There was no reason to live.

She brought the gun up to her temple.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

And she pulled the trigger.

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	58. Forget The Past

Previously on Ordinary People. Tara has returned, reunited with her brother and finding refuge with The Mother and her guardian, Target. And in a shocking turn of events, Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura appear to save what is left of The United. Sarah has chosen to do what it takes to protect the city from The Government.

CHAPTER FORTY "FORGET THE PAST"

"Do you realize that the world will probably never recover from this? It's a horrible thought to entertain, but it's the truth. We live in hell. There's nothing we can do to change it. Everyone is fighting for a better future, but I don't believe any other future exists. Then again, how can we forget the past? Those times that were true. Where heroes existed. It's all we have if the future we hope for will never come." – The Narrator

* * *

Tara stood still, hidden in the shadows of the nearby building. Bright lights illuminated her face in flashes. Her body disappeared and reappeared as the shadow was replaced. Rows and rows of tanks and metallic black cars rolled down the streets of Philadelphia. Each vehicle held a presence of power. The convoy as a whole was intimidating. It told any spectators that The Government was in control. She swallowed her fear.

A few feet from the corner where she sat, Target, Jessica and Danny huddled together in the silence of night. Each of them hugged as close to the wall as they could.

"Who are your contacts?" Target inquired after watching the bright lights pass for a while.

"Peter Petrelli," she said. She kept her gaze on the roadside. "He and another evolved human named Hiro Nakamura have been fighting against The Government by creating underground societies, tentatively taking out government facilities around the world."

"How many do they have?"

"I'm not sure. Two that I know of." She continued to look down the alley at the roving tanks, squinting her eyes past the metal trying to see if they had been detected. She got a reassuring nod from Tara and she returned to her son. "The last I heard was that The Government had been taking them apart."

Tara kept her post at the edge of the corner. She listened in on the conversation.

Target thought for a moment. "So what do you expect them to do when you find them? Are we going to join their organizations?"

"I met them twice so I don't expect them to do anything. As for joining their underground societies: no, we are not going to do that. If what I've heard is true then there is no reason to join. We need find Peter and Hiro first."

"Great," Tara smirked. "You think we're just going to find two people out of the billions of people in the world?"

Jessica glanced at her, choosing to ignore her comment. "I first met them after the New York explosion. I healed some friends of theirs. Hiro was the one who told me that he and Peter were planning something big. He knew something bad was going to happen. Since I healed their friends, they told me that if I needed anything I should contact them."

"It's been a year. Do you think they still remember you?"

"That's why we need to find them. It's not a safe place for us anywhere anymore."

Danny nodded his head. "Things are going to get worse."

Target looked at him. "Everything's going to be okay, Danny. Don't worry."

"No it's not." He shook his head.

Jessica gave the young boy a hug. "Don't worry, Danny. We're here for you." She turned towards her guardian, lowering her voice so couldn't hear her. "He's taken everything so… hard."

He nodded. "Okay, so where did they say to contact them?"

"At their friend's loft."

"Where would that be?"

"New York City."

(Inspector Brown – New Jersey)

"How much longer will I have to do this?" He spoke into the recorder. "It seems like a recurring theme in my life: Find the evolved human. I don't have enough evidence to prove that The Guardian Angel was the one who… attacked the armored bank truck. I can't say that it was robbed because nothing was taken. If there is indeed another evolved human who is causing trouble in my city, I am going to have to get more help. But… I really don't trust The Government's secret agents. They're evolved humans also," he sighed, rubbing the tired frustration out of his eyes, "and I just don't trust them."

He stopped the recording, leaning back in his chair heaving a great sigh. "What the hell am I doing?" he said to himself. The city he protected was slowly caving in around him. There didn't seem to be anything worth fighting for anymore. Once it was integrated into The System, The Government would overrun it with troops. He loved his country, but the recent choices over the past year had shaken his confidence in it.

He needed help. Something. Or someone. Anything to help him keep protecting his city the way it was supposed to be protected. Not with overpowering tanks and militant soldiers occupying the streets. Not with a country wide curfew, but with a justice system. A law.

Fear held too many at bay.

And he didn't like it. Why should fear hold the powerful from making good choices? It changed the world too much. Inspector Brown wanted to change that, but he couldn't. It was only an idea in his mind. Nothing concrete.

He took another deep breath, leaving the chair in his office. His feet hit the floor like stone. The noises of the streets and alleyways seeped inside through the cracks in the window. Zooming cars and flashing lights. Open windows and closed doors. Men and women walked down the streets of the city.

"You're out there," he whispered.

The door opened. Kelsey Walters entered.

"What do you want?"

"We're entering the final stages of integration."

"So?"

"We need you to be present for-"

"Fine, whatever."

She glared at him. "What's wrong with you? Sad that you're precious city isn't under your control anymore?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"Then get out here. The President isn't a patient man."

Inspector Brown pulled his trench coat across his back and holstered his pistol. With one last glance out the window, he followed the secret agent out of the door.

* * *

Dawn held her eyes closed.

She wanted it to be over already.

But nothing came.

Her eyelids flickered before she finally looked around her surroundings. She found herself on a couch. The pillows were soft, with a little bit of a rough spot near her cheek. She turned over to her right side. She was in a room, small and incomplete. There were three walls, but the forth led to another room which looked more like an empty space. Besides the overturned cans of paint and the various artistic utensils, there wasn't much there.

She looked at the people who read about her life, inquisitively keeping her attention on the unknown area around her. "Where am I? Do you know? I sure hope you do because the last thing I remember was Lacie about to kill me."

Slowly taking her head off of the pillow, she raised herself from the bed sheets. Her feet slowly went out from underneath her body and tiptoed across the floor. Prickly brushes. Cold steel. Fingers ran across the paint cans and the paint brushes, trying to piece together the fabric of her memory, wondering out loud whether she was dreaming or not. Even if she was, Dawn still didn't know where she was.

Turning the corner, she found herself in a room full of paintings. People littered the thick blocks of paper. Across the canvases were individuals locked forever in positions of fear, anger, of death, of pain. She approached one painting. A man looked beyond the strokes in shock. His head, cut at the forehead, was an empty bowl of blood oozing from the inside out. His mouth hung agape. Terrifying and odd. She looked on. Another painting had a darkened figure, standing alone in the doorway of a black room. A mutilated cheerleader hung at the bottom right hand corner.

Dawn turned around and saw the image of a man in the air, a building's rooftop in the distance. His arms were outstretched as if he was welcoming the day. A smile on his face that evoked pure contentment. She touched the painting, gently running her thumb across his face, outlining his hair. His jacket. His hands.

"That's me."

She did not turn around. "Did you paint it?"

"No."

"Oh." She paused to finish outlining the man's body and the building behind him. "I was going to compliment you on it, but since you didn't paint it, I don't see any use of complimenting you on something you didn't do."

He came up beside her. He, too, analyzed the painting.

"What's your name?"

"Peter."

"Sounds familiar. But I don't know why."

Peter did not respond.

Dawn was left with the silence of her own thoughts. She continued to look at the magnificent picture of Peter. It was inspiring. Calling out to anybody who wanted to do more than what a person could even think was possible. It gave her a feeling of greatness. That if she only believed, anything could be possible. "Who painted it?" she asked.

"Someone I knew. Isaac."

"Why would he paint you flying?"

"He could paint the future."

"Did you fly?"

He nodded his head.

"Did he paint all of these paintings?"

"Some of them. I painted some others."

"Do all of them show the future?"

He nodded his head.

Dawn walked to each painting, inspecting the image upon the canvas. "Did all of them come true?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Why do you keep them around? They're all very… disturbing."

"Many of the paintings depict something horrible happening. An atrocity that destroyed many lives. We still have the paintings as a memorial of what we could have stopped."

"I thought destiny was predetermined."

"Not exactly."

"So the future isn't painted in canvas. You get to choose for us which future you want to follow. Is Time a piece of clay that can be molded into whatever you choose it to be?"

"Time is sensitive. A single change could alter events of the greatest proportion for the worst. Choosing to change what has been painted by going into the past could be disastrous. But by knowing what the future holds, we can use our powers to do what it takes to make sure it doesn't happen."

"So what is my destiny?"

"Only you can answer that."

She looked at Peter. He had a rough, handsome quality to him that did not make him seem as intimidating as one might think. She smiled at him and he smirked back. With a nod with his head, he left the room, once again leaving Dawn to her thoughts and the paintings of the future.

* * *

"How are you doing?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders.

Tara rested her head against the brick wall of the alley. They had been running for some time, trying their best to evade The Government. Traveling was brutal. Since they could not use any public transportation, for fear of getting caught, they had to move on foot. And moving out of the city on foot was difficult. Especially since they were moving towards New York.

It was their first break, and Tara was already exhausted.

"Seriously, Danny, are you as tired as I am?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Say that you are."

"I am."

She smirked. "I like the new look."

"What new look?"

"Jessica told me that she gave you a make over."

He looked at his hands, finally remembering, and nodded his head.

Silence went on between them. A silence that allowed them to ponder over the things that were bothering them. A silence that allowed them to ponder over the things that they cared about. Tara was glad that she was reunited with her brother, someone she thought was dead. And she was also glad that she was able to prove herself to Sarah. What bothered her the most was the fact that they were still running. She was tired of it. Danny was also glad that Tara was alive, even if he didn't show it. The war, as he knew it would become, had affected him in the worst way. He didn't care who won anymore. He just wanted it all to be over.

"When are they coming back?" Tara asked to fill the void of noise.

He did not answer.

"It's been at least twenty minutes, don't you think?"

He did not answer.

"I think it's been at least twenty minutes. Maybe thirty-"

Danny sighed. "What do you think is going to happen?"

"With what?"

"Everything? What do you think will happen to us? To regular humans? To evolved humans?"

Tara exhaled. So many questions and not enough answers. She knew he didn't ask them rhetorically. He wanted information. But she just couldn't give him any. "I don't know, Danny," she finally said. "Although, sometimes I forget we're not evolved humans. We we're with them all the time, I just automatically say 'we' when referring to them."

"Me too."

"Do you sometimes wish you were an evolved human?"

"Not really."

"Sometimes I do. But then I think about what's happening to them, and I'm happy that I'm not. But it doesn't stop me from wishing every now and then."

"I keep thinking that something bad is going to happen. A lot of terrible things have already happened, but it can only get worse. Sometimes I wish things would go back to the way things were. The way things were in the past. I have dreams sometimes when dad is alive, and we're at grandma's house eating blueberry pie by the fireplace-"

"Grandma's homemade blueberry pie was the best."

"And we'd be happy in our dreams. We were teenagers and dad was still alive."

"That sounds nice."

"Yeah, but then I remember that I'm dreaming and I see what's really happening. Pain. Death. It's horrible, Tara. Everything. Nothing good can come of any of this."

She playfully punched him in the arm. "Stop talking. You're depressing me."

Target crept into the alley from the far side. Beckoning them, they left their hiding spot and ran towards him.

"What's up, Target?" Tara asked.

"We found a car."

"How far?"

"Not far. Jessica is watching it for us, but we have to leave right now. We need to get back into hiding when the sun comes up."

"Why do we even have to hide?" Tara interjected. "If the cops come close to us, can't Jessica just kill them or something? She told me that she can manipulate bio-molecular structures in anything living… or something like that."

"She can. But if there are a lot of people it takes a lot of energy out of her. And besides, when she concentrates on a large group, she is most vulnerable to attack."

Tara walked passed him. "Fine. Let's just get to these guys' loft."

* * *

Sarah kneeled over the city on top of an apartment building. A cool river of air passed through her hair, brushing against her skin. Her hood was down, and her glasses her off. Suddenly her identity wasn't as important as it used to be.

She overlooked the landscape of the metropolis she called her home. The city she swore to protect. Having finally fought The Government for a reason she thought was justified, she got a small taste of why Casey felt so strongly about her cause against it. They wanted Danny, one boy out of the many evolved humans involved in terrorist attacks, and she couldn't let them take him.

But her one act against the most powerful force in the country didn't change her mind about her position. The world was in need of a protector. Sadly, she could not be it. It was too much for her to tackle. But she could protect the one portion that she knew she could defend.

All of her theories were proven correct thus far. There was going to be a war between the human and the evolved. The humans were preparing for it as long as the evolved humans were. The weapon that canceled out evolved human's powers was proof. It was inevitable. It wouldn't matter who made the first move, whether or not the first move was already made, a war was inevitable. And the city she swore to protect seemed to be in the middle many of the conflicts.

Conflicts she did not want to get involved with.

Sarah looked down as a disgruntled Inspector Robert Brown walked into his apartment building. She left the ledge, decreasing the density of her body, slowly sliding through the roof and inside. She needed to talk to him.

* * *

The keys jingled out of his pocket as he stuck them into the slot. Twisting the knob, he opened the door and stepped inside. The dull light of the hallway cast his shadow into the darkness of the Inspector's abode. The entire room was pitch black. The darkness unmoving from the sudden appearance of light. Closed blinds. A spinning fan. A half empty beer can from a few nights before. It had been a while since he had been in his home.

The door slammed shut. He sighed. Frustrated. Annoyed. He didn't bother to turn on the lights. Feeling his way across the wall, he found the bathroom. He flipped on the lights and leaned over the sink, spitting into the bowl. The gushing water from the faucet spun around the porcelain, washing his saliva down into the drain.

He lifted his head and looked into the mirror. He saw the tired exhaustion in his eyes. The angry frustration in his face. He spit again. "I loathe Agent Walters," he said to his reflection.

With his hands cupped, the water filled up his palms. He splashed his face. The water ran down his forehead and nose. It was a long week.

After he dried his face he came back into the living room.

But something wasn't right.

He stopped, listening.

Quickly he drew his pistol and pointed it into the corner. "Come out with your hands up."

"I'm only here to talk."

"Come out where I can see you."

The only light was coming from the bathroom, and she was still hidden in shadow. She stepped forward and allowed the light to reveal who she was.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Sarah White. But you probably know me as The Guardian Angel."

He kept the gun pointed at her. He kept his cool. "What do you want?"

"I'm afraid, Inspector. I'm afraid of what's coming."

"What's coming?"

"War," she said. "War between the humans and the evolved."

"If you're warning me, then you're wasting your time."

"No. I am here because you and I share the same goals."

He shook his head. "I highly doubt that."

"Inspector, a year ago I made myself the guardian of this city. The protector of the innocent. That has been my goal and my only purpose since then-"

"Get to the point, Evolved Human!"

"My name is Sarah."

He shook his pistol to reinforce the point that he was the one in charge. "Get to the point, Sarah."

"What is your purpose, Inspector?"

"I made an oath to protect the city from injustice and crime."

She moved closer to him. "You and I want to protect this city."

"You're willing to kill. You're nothing but a vigilante-"

"I admit that I made some mistakes in the past, but I'm here to change that."

Inspector Brown remained silent. She had his attention.

"I'm worried that with all of the ongoing terrorist attacks from evolved humans and the slow integration of the entire country by The Government, _our_ city will be caught in the middle." She looked at him, looking for any sign of hostility. But he showed none. "Would I be correct in assuming that you do not approve of The Government's integration method?"

He nodded his head. "It's not the way democracy works."

"I don't approve of the evolved human's method of changing things either."

Inspector Brown slowly lowered his weapon. He did not holster it, but he did not have it pointed at her.

"There's no way we can do anything about either of our side's actions on the war, but we can do what we swore to do: protect the innocent. There are going to be a lot of casualties… on both sides." She took a deep breath. She was resolute in what she said. "To the best of my knowledge, this is one of the last cities that has not been integrated into The System."

"No," he said. "It was incorporated into it an hour ago."

"Well, I'm sure the evolved humans don't know. And from recent events involving attempted theft, I'm guessing this city is on the map. The terrorists are looking for a way to attack The Government. They're going to want to take back territory."

"So you think they're going to start here."

"Yes. And when the battle comes, we need to be there to protect the citizens from any side."

"What do you think we can do? We're only two people."

"I know the odds are against us, but who else are going to help them if we don't?"

He put the pistol away. Contemplating over the decision he was going to make. Sarah put her hands down. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He looked at her. "What did you say your name was?"

"Sarah."

He extended his hand. "I'm Robert."

She shook it.

"I guess this is where our partnership begins."

* * *

The view was incredible. And terrifying at the same time. The buildings looked like giants. Skeletons of a great yesterday. A civilization. A metropolis. Full of life, full of blood. The power of something so enormous yet so lifeless was astounding. Philip looked through the window at the broken pieces of New York City. His arms were overlapped, leaning against the windowsill, taking everything in. He took a deep breath. Emotion rose through his veins.

Jeanette came up alongside her leader. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"I've never actually seen it this close. Only pictures, or video footage."

She could only nod her head.

"This was the day everything changed."

"Do you remember what you were doing when it happened?"

He nodded his head. "I was in my house. I was eating breakfast, cheerios, I remember that very vividly, and… and my first thought was shock. You know how the world stood still when the Twin Towers fell? It was like that. I just sat there… I mean, seriously, what else were there to do?"

Jeanette exhaled. "I was with my husband. In Manhattan. My powers first manifested itself that day. The buildings fell in the distance, but the shockwave was immense. I protected us from debris… but it was the scariest day of my life."

Philip breathed in the cold air. "Your husband was the one who gave you up to The Government, right?"

Silence was her response.

"Jeanette!"

She turned around.

Will hugged her, hanging on for a second longer. "I'm so glad to see you're all right."

"I'm fine."

Peter and Dawn entered into the room.

Dawn smiled. "There you are. Will, I want you to meet someone. Peter, this is Will. Will, this is Peter."

Peter nodded his head.

Will nodded as well.

"Hiro's around here somewhere," Dawn trailed off.

Will cleared his throat. "I guess I should be thanking you. How did you get us out of the forest?"

"Hiro and I teleported the four of you here."

"How did you know where we were?"

The door closed, drawing the attention of all those inside the room. Hiro stood in the doorway. His solemn expression never left his face. "Peter and I have been breaking out evolved humans from prisons since they've been locking our kind in them. Some that were set free tried to continue on with their lives, but most joined in our fight. Since we were only two people, we needed reinforcements, and the freed evolved humans provided us with some. With every prison we attacked, we set up small organized groups to break out more that came and steadily increase in numbers so that when the time came, we could attack with an army."

"The United was one of those organizations."

"Yes."

"So then The United isn't really dead after all," Will said enthusiastically.

Jeanette shook her head. "No. We were the last. Over the last year, Peter and Hiro have been trying to stop The Government from finding out about us, but somehow they did."

"Probably by bribing the weak links to betray us," Philip added. "I should've guessed that we were next."

Peter put his hand on Philip's shoulder. "I know how important The United was to you, but we have more important things to worry about."

"Yes," Hiro said. "The Government has created a weapon-"

"We know," Philip spat. "It takes away our abilities."

Dawn grinned. "So what are we going to do about it?"

Hiro closed the window. He commanded attention from every person. Peter took his place next to the warrior, crossing his arms. A staunch expression on his face. "We are on the brink of a war. The Government thinks they have prevented it from happening by destroying The United, but we can surprise them. Strike when they think we're most vulnerable."

"This is a very small window of opportunity. They think we're down, but they'll only believe that for a little while," Peter added.

"One problem," Will stated. "There are only six of us."

"Which is why we need your help."

"You can't possibly believe we can create another 'united' in the amount of time you're asking for."

"No," Hiro shook his head," but we need to find a few people who can at least help out."

"We have a specific list. It shouldn't take long."

"You're what's left of the United. Are you with us?"

"I am." Philip's answer was almost immediate.

Jeanette nodded her head. "So am I."

Will nodded his head.

Dawn clasped her hands together, grinning from ear to ear. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	59. Sweet Melody

Previously on Ordinary People. Sarah and Inspector Brown have joined together, creating a truce to protect the innocent in the war between the Human and the Evolved. Jessica leads the way to refuge: Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura, while the remaining members of The United join in the fight with them to stop The Government.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE "SWEET MELODY"

* * *

Slowly, he lowered his hand, bringing the pistol down. Contemplating over the decision he was going to make. Sarah put her hands down. There was a definite agreement between the two. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He looked at her. "What did you say your name was?"

"Sarah."

He extended his hand. "I'm Robert."

She shook it.

"I guess this is where our partnership begins."

(Sarah White and Inspector Brown – Brown's Apartment)

A harsh rapping came at his door, jerking the inspector away from his new ally. At first he did not answer it. He stared at the wood of the barrier between him and the only other person who would give him a house call: Agent Walters. He clenched his fist. In his opinion, she was nothing but a self-righteous evolved human who thought too much of herself. He glanced at his present company. So was The Guardian Angel at one time.

The knocking persisted. "Brown!" Kelsey bellowed.

"Coming!" he said, stalling for time. He turned to Sarah. "You better get out of here."

She slowly stepped back into the shadows.

"Wait! How will I contact you?"

"I'll find you," she replied as her body went through the wall.

"Brown!"

"Yeah, hold on!"

He grabbed the doorknob and turned it. "May I help you?"

"We need to talk."

He kept the door slightly closed. "Then talk."

"May I come in?"

"No."

"If you don't let me in I'll come in myself."

He sighed and allowed her to enter. "What do you want, Agent Walters?"

"The integration is now complete."

He leaned on the back of his couch. He did not reply.

"Your city is now under the protection of the National Government."

He continued to stare at her. Not a word spoken from his mouth.

"I thought you'd be happy."

"Why would I be happy?"

"You claim that this is your city and that you want to protect it. Now that it has been integrated into The System, you don't have to worry about the welfare of the city or its citizens."

"I don't hear any tanks rolling down the streets. I don't hear people screaming in terror. I won't be happy until this feud between the human and evolved human has ended."

"Then you're going to be one unhappy person."

"Guess I will."

"It's funny, Inspector, that you have such a cynical view of your country. One would say that you weren't patriotic."

"I have the right to my opinions. I can say whatever I want."

"Not when there's a hint of treason."

"What are you getting at?"

"We have been keeping tabs on you. Listening to your recordings. I have an obligation to arrest anybody who is under suspicion of treason."

Inspector Brown slowly stood up straight. He did not like the way the conversation was going.

"I'm going to have to ask you to put your hands up."

"No," he said. "Why should I? I have the right to say whatever I want!"

"I _will_ hurt you."

He pulled out his pistol.

Kelsey coolly put her hands up. She was unafraid. "You're going to shoot me?"

He shook his head. Robert couldn't believe what he was doing. How could one conversation with The Guardian Angel change him so much? He always did what he believed in. And he believed her. Sarah, The Guardian Angel, was right: The Government will stop at nothing. He needed to stop her. "Shooting you won't solve anything."

"Solve anything? You say that like there's a problem."

"There _is_ a problem! The Government is corrupt-"

A shockwave of sound slipped past her palms and slammed against his body. His head recoiled as he flew backwards. Over the couch, across the table. He crashed onto the floor with a grunt.

Kelsey lowered her hands, a grin on her face. "I never did like you."

Inspector Brown lifted his arm, grabbing the edge of the table, and tried to lift himself off of the table. The shockwave was just enough to sting, but his equilibrium was shaken. He closed his eyes in an attempt to lose the dizziness.

The brain could only handle so much vertigo before it turned into mush. She pressed her hand against his forehead, a low humming vibrating through "Don't get up," she sneered, "Traitor."

The glass to the window shattered. Shards and broken pieces flew inward into the room. Kelsey released her grip and turned her back while Robert covered his head. A dark figure stood in the broken windowsill. She adjusted the gloves on her. Sarah whipped a lock of hair away from her face. "You okay, Robert?"

He looked up. "Yeah."

The Guardian Angel kicked the agent in the back, forcing her to the floor. Her fingers curled around a bunch of hair and she tossed her into the wall.

Kelsey slowly stood up, feeling the spot where her hair was torn. Angrily, she pointed her finger. A high-pitched siren exploded from the tip. Inspector Brown and Sarah cringed from the sonic agony. She ran forward, delivering a few blows to The Guardian Angel's face, finally kneeing her in the stomach.

Sarah doubled over. She grabbed her stomach and tried to regain her balance but the room spun. Vertigo set in. Dizziness surrounded her eyes. She fumbled against the wall and her legs gave out from beneath her, allowing the Secret Agent to attack her more.

Inspector Brown opened his eyes and the world became stable. Scrounging around the room, he searched for his pistol. He had dropped it when he was attacked. Sarah was in trouble. He needed to find it quickly.

The pistol was underneath the couch. He grabbed it, but before he could pull the trigger, Sarah's body flew through the air and collided with him, bringing them both down.

"The Inspector and The Guardian Angel working together," she scoffed. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Sarah groaned.

Inspector Brown tried to reach for his weapon.

Kelsey prepared to finish them off.

Suddenly, a fist connected with her face.

She quickly recovered, firing a shockwave of sound at the attacker. The walls shook. A loud boom exploded from her hand, pushing the new opponent through the wall and into the next room. Kelsey slowly approached the gaping hole and peered inside.

The attacker rushed the unsuspecting woman, grabbing onto her body and jumping through the broken window.

They fell one floor and onto the sidewalk. Kelsey cursed. She flipped the unknown assailant off. Her body twisted around and she brought her arms apart, slapping them together. Her hands connected, clapping together to create a powerful wave of sound. A shockwave that cracked glass. Her opponent's body soared through the air and into the building on the other street.

A small squadron of government soldiers stood outside Inspector Brown's apartment. Kelsey rushed to them. "Fire!"

They raised their weapons and fired at their target. Gunshots rang in the sky. Casings dropped on the cement. Kelsey watched as the bullets passed through the liquefied body.

The evolved human reshaped into mass. It wore dark clothing and a mask over the face. The same clothing the bank truck hijacker. Clenching its fist, it ran forward, ready to attack.

"Casey, stop!"

She stood still, looking at the origin of the call.

Sarah ran out of the apartment followed by Inspector Brown. Sirens announced the approach of the police force. The squad cars came quickly, turning the corner to where Inspector Brown waited. Sarah confronted her old friend, steadily increasing her density in case of a fight.

Kelsey was stunned at first. The woman who told her that she was going to kill her for the death of Alec Lions was standing a few yards away. The secret agent actually feared for her life. She had never fought anybody with such a determined drive. She had never fought anybody who had a personal vendetta against her. Anybody who worked so hard to exact revenge had to be a worthy opponent. For an unknown reason, she was afraid of Casey.

Inspector Brown ran to her. "You need to take the battle somewhere else."

"Inspector, you are under arrest-"

"I know you're just doing your job, but you being reckless. The city and the citizens in it are at risk. I have to keep my promise."

"And what promise is that?"

"To protect the innocent."

"You're not innocent, Inspector."

"But everyone else is."

"What are your orders, Sir?" The lieutenant asked.

Inspector Brown turned towards Kelsey and the Government Soldiers. "We need to stop them."

Kelsey grinned. "You think you can stop me?"

He made his way back to the barricade of police cars. "I have to try."

Casey was shocked. "Sarah? What are you doing here?"

"Don't fight her here."

"I told you, Sarah-"

"Casey, I know that you want revenge for what she did to Alec-"

"You can't stop me."

"Take the battle somewhere else."

"Get out of my way. I will fight you if I have to."

Sarah stood still. She shook her head. "I can't let you endanger the lives of the people around you for some personal quarrel. Take the battle somewhere else."

He strapped on a bulletproof vest and loaded his rifle. "Agent Walters, this is your last chance. Take the battle somewhere else."

Casey liquefied her arm. "You can't stop me," she said again.

Kelsey crossed her arms and smirked at The Inspector. "Traitor. I'm going to enjoy killing you."

* * *

Jessica rocked her son gently in her arms. He was so beautiful to her. Her son. David. If only he could have known his father. The memory of her lost husband hung deeply in her heart. His mind was plastered on the walls of her mind. His face. His confidence. His love. She would never forget the man who loved her so much. Never.

The baby nuzzled his face closer to her chest. His mouth hung partially open, drool slipping past the corner of his mouth. He was fast asleep. Dreaming dreams of nonsensical shapes and colors. He did not fear anything. Nor could he. He was just a baby. An infant who knew nothing of his father.

Target drove the stolen car. He remained silent. Kept his eyes on the road. There wasn't much to say. Soft yellow lines passed beside the wheels along the black road that they traveled upon. The headlights cast a shadow across the world around them. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He could only guess what possibilities Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura could bring to the war against The Humans.

He had heard stories. Rumors. Two men. Two men who fought to save the world. Over and over Target heard tales of two Heroes. One could control time. Bend it. Stop it. Fold it. He could do whatever he wished. A powerful warrior. Some said he could travel through time. It was only a rumor, but anybody powerful enough to control the very essence of time itself could definitely be a help in these darkened times. The other had powers ranging from flight to telekinesis. Nobody knew how many abilities he actually had, but it was amazing. He could absorb the abilities of those around him and thus made him a force to be reckoned with.

Target always knew the world was dangerous. That The Government was corrupt. But they never made any move to attack The Lighthouse Mansion, or the person who stood within it. He never thought they would make such a bold move. But The Government did. And he needed reassurance that they would never attempt to harm his future again.

Tara looked out the window. Moving scenery. It flew by her eyes like a movie. She never thought that she would be where was at that moment. Searching for legendary heroes from the past. On the run again from the law. She turned to look at her sleeping brother. At least she still had family. It was somehow a sweet melody in her mind. As long as she was with family, she could care less what else happened.

Danny stirred.

"He sure does sleep a lot," Tara mused.

Jessica chuckled. "That something that he and my son have in common."

* * *

They fought. But the sides were uneven. Casey genuinely did not care for her old friend's well being. She wanted to get to Kelsey and Sarah stood in the way. The only way to get what she wanted was to go through the barrier. Sarah on the other hand, only wanted to stop the battle from happening in the city. Casey stood in her way and the only way to get what she wanted was to stop her old friend, but she didn't want to hurt her.

Casey's extended her arm and shot out a pressurized blast of water.

Sarah somersaulted out of the way, rushing forward with her arms up ready for action. She swung her fist. Flesh immediately met water. She retracted her arm, punching pointless blows to her face.

The young woman took hold of Sarah's jacket, pushing her backwards into the building's brick wall with all the force of a fire hydrant.

Sarah held her breath, but the pressure was building. Oxygen was running out and she soon she was going to need to breathe. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her body and not the pain exploding from her chest. Her body quickly decreased in density and she slipped through the wall. There had to be a way to stop her.

Inspector Brown had his back to the left wheel of a bullet filled police car. Holes were in the metal, cut through like gaps into the unknown. The windows. Cracked or shattered, while the mirrors reflected the destruction. His loyal squad of police officers hid behind the cover of their vehicles as well. The constant barrage of bullet fire from the government soldiers held them where they were. When one line stopped firing, the second line took up the role. He didn't get a chance to retaliate.

He looked over the edge of the hood, trying to get a glance at someone to shoot at.

Sparks flew and bullets ricochet.

"Damn it!" he yelled. "I can't get a shot!"

Kelsey stood behind her men, a smirk on her face. There was no way she was going to be stopped by a small, insignificant human. She waited for the moment to attack him.

Sarah swung her arm and punched Casey in the face.

She twisted around, evading another attack. Her hand rose underneath The Guardian Angel's chin, sending her on the floor.

Casey lifted her arms, taking the moisture in the air, capturing it on the tips of her fingers. A large pocket of water floated in mid air. With a twitch of her finger, the liquefied body twisted up in a pillar and crashed down upon her opponent's head.

Sarah decreased her density as a blast of water passed through her. "Casey!" she yelled. "Don't do this."

"How can you say that?"

She grabbed her shirt and slammed her against the wall. "I understand what you're going through-"

"No you don't!" Casey spat. "You have no idea what I'm going through!"

"Casey, listen to me: I understand your need to take revenge on the person who took away Alec. And I don't want to stop you from doing that-"

"Then don't!" She head-butt Sarah before pushing her away.

Sarah increased her density and tackled her to the floor. "I don't want to stop you, but you can't attack her here."

She struggled to break free. "Why not?!"

"I'm not letting you hurt anyone!"

Casey turned into water, slipping through her grasp. She reformed, creating a miniature vortex of water around Sarah, keeping her in a giant bubble. She concentrated on the strain inside the bubble, increasing it around Sarah's body. She didn't want to drown her, but she was leaving her with no choice.

Sarah easily passed through with decreased density.

"Damn it, Sarah! Let me do this-"

She punched her in the stomach.

Inspector Brown fired a few rounds, randomly hitting a few soldiers. He turned to his officers. "Fire!"

The police force took aim, shooting at the line of soldiers. They stuck their rifles out above the doors and hoods of the police cruisers and shot round after round of bullets. The government soldiers also hid behind other cars and vehicles, but the police officers did not do enough damage.

Kelsey smirked again.

Inspector Brown fired a few more shots before ducking back behind the car. "Lieutenant!"

"Sir?"

"Take half of the squad and go around the building. I'll draw their cover over here," he reloaded his rifle. "Take them out."

The lieutenant nodded his head and left, taking half of the squad with him. The Inspector lifted his rifle, closed one eye and aimed. The soldier standing next to Kelsey fell, a bullet hole in his eye.

She looked at him, a stunned expression on her face.

He winked and fired again.

Ducking behind a nearby car with her back towards the police force, she saw saw something in the corner of her eye in the ally a few yards away. The glistening barrel of a rifle shined brightly from afar. She glanced back at Inspector Brown. "Nice try, Inspector."

A focused strain of sound shot through her hand, slamming against the lieutenant, immediately breaking his bones. She clenched her teeth, extended her hands, and released more powerful sound waves, killing the second half of the police force instantly.

Inspector Brown sighed. "Oh crap."

* * *

Hiro sat on the couch. The blade of his sword was in the ground, spinning beneath his index finger. He was cast within the metal's reflection. Spinning in a constant circle. He was determined. His eyes followed the fine line that rotated. His blade was his weapon. Classic. Dramatic. Heroic. He was ready to do what was necessary.

Jeanette sat down next to him. "Do you really think we can do this?"

"Yes. I do."

"What if we fail? What if this doesn't work?"

He shook his head. "We will win, Jeanette. I am a hero."

"You want to save the world."

"It is our destiny. We were given these gifts to prevent disaster. The disaster has yet to happen. But it is growing. The war will be the worst thing that ever happened to us."

"How do you know?"

His gaze never left the sword. "I do," he paused. "I just do."

Philip sat on the floor not too far away, legs crossed, and head low, arms extended on either side of his body. He took a deep breath. Releasing it. A flame sparked in his palm, rising a little bit higher with every breath. His eyes opened and a white film overcame his pupils. The flame wrapped around his fingers, traveling across the back of his hand. It grew up his arm. There was no pain. It was like a coat of fire. He took a deep breath again. And the embers dissipated.

"Good," Hiro said. "Keep your strength up. You're going to need it."

Jeanette looked out the window. New York City. Broken. She stood up. She needed time to gain courage of her own.

Elsewhere, Will crossed his arms. "Just a few more people to find."

"Molly will take care of that," Peter said.

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait. We wait until she gives us the coordinates."

Dawn burst into the room. "Peter!"

He turned her attention to her.

"Some evolved humans have attacked some police officers in New Jersey!"

"What?! How do you know?"

She grinned at the readers who sat at their computers. "You guys already know how I know. Bob told me."

* * *

Officers fell. Soldiers fell.

Inspector Brown and Kelsey Walters were at a standstill.

Both sides fired and both sides fell.

He grabbed a nearby officer and pulled him back to the ground. "Are you crazy?! Get down!"

The officer groaned. "I'm sorry, Inspector! We can't win this battle."

"Yes we can!" He fired a few rounds and came back. "Don't give up."

Casey punched Sarah in the face. Viciously she came back with powerful fists of pressurized water blows to the head. But she was too dense. The damage was minimal.

Sarah blocked an attack and grabbed Casey by the shirt. She kicked her in the stomach and punched her in the face. But she continued to turn into water. The damage was minimal.

"You're wasting your time, Sarah. You're wasting _my_ time! All of this fighting could have been prevented if you let me _kill_ her when I had the chance!"

"You don't get it, Casey! She's more powerful than you. She not only would have killed you, but she would have created unnecessary collateral damage while doing it."

"You don't know that."

Peter and Hiro appeared with Jeanette, Philip, Will and Dawn.

Will stared at the city block. Destroyed buildings. Overturned cars. Shattered glass. The upheaval of road. "Whoa."

Two battles raged on. Casey fought a staunch Sarah White. Inspector Brown battled against the more powerful Agent Kelsey Walters.

"Who do we help?" Dawn inquired.

Peter looked towards the officers. "Help the police officers! Agent Walters works for The Government!"

Dawn clenched her fist, punching the nearest government soldier into the pavement, moving onto the rest of her targets.

Will punched two soldiers in the face, kicking them into the wall, spinning around and delivering powerful punches to any uniformed soldier in sight.

Jeanette jumped in front of the police officers, creating a force field to protect them from the enemy fire.

Philip lit them up on fire, scorching the stragglers.

Kelsey backed away. Her reinforcements were taken out in a matter of seconds. Four evolved humans led by two known terrorists stood in front of her.

Inspector Brown stood up. "Wow."

She swung her fist and struck the young woman. "I'm giving you one more chance, Casey! After this I won't hold back."

Her answer was loud and clear. She whipped her arm around, but Sarah dodged it.

Sarah rose up and punched again, only to have it blocked.

Casey blocked another attack, jabbed her in the side and kicked her back into the wall. She lifted her hand; the moisture from her liquefied fist began to freeze over. A casing of ice slid over her skin. Sarah watched in awe as her entire body enveloped in ice. A chilling smoke lifted off from her shoulders.

She hit her in the face. Then again. Casey lifted Sarah off of the ground and struck her in the chest. Sarah flew through the air, smashing through the building across the street.

Casey put her hands together, forcing the air between to flash freeze into an icicle. She looked at Kelsey, backed into the corner by the other evolved humans who had surprisingly entered into the fight.

"What do we do with her?" Dawn smiled.

Philip torched his fingers. "Let's make an example out of her. Let The Government know that The United isn't completely dead!"

Kelsey slyly pressed a button on her belt. "The United? You're still alive?"

"You better believe it."

"You'll pay for your treachery against The Government."

Will crossed his arms. "I don't think so."

In desperation, she reached into her pockets and threw down two grenades. A blue pulse flashed out, temporarily blinding the surrounding individuals.

Peter turned to his teammates. "What happened?"

Dawn stamped her foot. "Damn it. I didn't know they made the power-taker-away-ers in the form of grenades!"

Kelsey raised her hands. A high-pitched sound exploded from her hands. They fell; dizzily they tried to regain their balance. The Secret Agent ran clenched her teeth. They were helpless. She was powerful. They had no chance.

She glanced at Inspector Brown and his traitorous police force. Focusing her power on a larger scale, vertigo enveloped the immediate area. Inspector Brown keeled over, and his officers tried to fight against the pain. But there was no chance for them. Kelsey shattered their bones with a violent pounding. The Inspector's men were down for good.

She grabbed him by his trench coat collar. Her hands unleashed a shock wave that sent him into the wall. He yelled in agony, bones breaking upon impact.

Kelsey grinned. "I've been waiting for this."

"Stop!" he pleaded. He tried to move, but it was too painful. "Innocent lives are at stake!"

"The lives that are being sacrificed are for The System and The United States Government." She placed her hand across his forehead once again. "It will be better off without someone whose loyalty to the country itself!"

Casey was out of range from Kelsey's dizzying attack. She gripped the icicle and threw it as hard as she could.

The icicle pierced her in the shoulder.

The agent staggered, losing her concentration on her gift. The sense of vertigo slowly faded away.

Casey kicked her into the wall, grabbing the icicle and digging it deeper into the muscle. "Do you know who I am?!"

Kelsey screamed in anguish. "Yes!"

"Then you know why I'm here!"

"You won't succeed, Casey Walker! I killed your boyfriend and I am going to kill you too!"

The young woman yanked the frozen spike from her body and raised it over her head. "This is for you Alec!"

"Casey, look out!" Sarah cried out.

A laser beam struck her in the side. Knocking her to the ground.

Wayne Rockwell flew in, an army of soldiers following closely behind him. Tanks rolled down the streets. Helicopters invaded the air. Reinforcements had arrived for Agent Walters.

There was only rage in her mind. No matter who had entered onto the scene, she only saw Kelsey. She still tried to impale the one who had killed her lover.

"No, we have to get out of here!" Sarah said, grabbing her. She forced her away from the agent's side. "We're outnumbered and de-powered."

Casey snapped back to reality.

"Help me with him."

Together, she and Sarah helped Inspector Brown to his feet, acting as a crutch for his broken body.

Peter stood up. "I think it's time for a tactical retreat."

Hiro nodded his head. "Let's go!"

Wayne pointed to the retreating evolved humans. "Follow them!"

Sarah, Casey, Inspector Brown, Dawn, Will, Jeanette, Philip, Peter and Hiro ran off in the opposite direction. The rumbling of the tanks echoed down off of the buildings. The helicopters blades struck the wind, blowing wind in every direction. And they ran. They had to get out of the area, away from the nullifying grenade, to get their powers back.

"Casey!" Dawn said. "Come with us!"

Sarah and Casey carried The Inspector in the direction of Casey's old team.

"I can feel my powers coming back."

"Mine too," Hiro said.

"We need to teleport everyone out of here."

The two of them stopped.

"There's too many people," Peter said.

"We have to try."

They closed their eyes. Strained. Concentrated on what they had to do.

The Government's secret service and The System Army came in quickly.

Dawn closed her eyes.

And opened them.

She found herself in Isaac's loft.

"Oh my God!"

She turned around.

Jeanette kneeled next to Hiro. He was unconscious on the floor.

"What happened?"

Peter held his head.

"Peter," Dawn said. "Are you okay?"

He scrunched his face.

"Something's wrong with Peter."

He fell over, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Everyone crowded around him. "Peter? Peter?!"

* * *

Continued…

Thanks for reading and please review!


	60. Momentum

Previously on Ordinary People. Sarah and Inspector Brown have joined together, creating a truce to protect the innocent in the war between the Human and the Evolved. Jessica leads the way to refuge: Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura, while the remaining members of The United join in the fight with them to stop The Government.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO "MOMENTUM"

* * *

It was nighttime. Evening's dark shadow flew above the streets and buildings. The night was cool. A soft breeze drifting aimlessly through the brick and the rooftops. The moon hung like a giant light bulb in the sky. It provided light for those who feared the night. For those who feared the unknown.

The car idled outside of the large building. Small clouds of fumes lifted into the chilly air. A car, here and there, passed down the road, but for the most part, it was still. The streets were empty. Isaac's loft was on the top floor. It loomed with an ominous certainty. With a small amount of luck. Like the walls of a hallway, there was a large difference from the left to the right.

One side was the devastation of New York City. On the other was refuge from The Government.

Jessica sat in the car, holding her sleeping baby in arms. His eyes were closed. His mouth was open. He breathed softly. Such innocence. Such naivety. She ran her hand across his forehead. She did everything for him. She had already lost someone special in her life, and she wasn't about to lose another.

Target opened his eyes from slumber. Driving for such a long time without any stops was difficult, but he managed to get them to Isaac's Loft where hopefully Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura resided. Rubbing the tiredness out of his pupils, he took a look out of the window. "How long have you been up?"

"I'm not sure."

"How's he doing?"

She looked down at the sleeping baby. "Fine."

Target exhaled. "What do we do now?"

"We should go inside."

"Then why aren't we going?"

"I don't know. I'm afraid of what I might find."

"Like what?"

"I was given amnesty. You were given amnesty. But Wayne crossed the line… he had to make it personal."

Target looked at his mother. Trying to understand her fears.

"I wanted to kill him. He threatened his life… The only time I've taken a life was when I thought your father died the first time. I felt the same way about Wayne… he was an old friend and I wanted to kill him."

"He's not your friend. If he was willing to do something like what he did then he's not a friend."

"I'm afraid of the kind of monster I'll become if this war escalates."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mother."

She gently kissed her son's head. "It's not your fault. I would never want anything to happen to you."

Target breathed softly out of his nose. The sound of silence creeping through the half open windows. "Should we go?"

"Tara and Danny are still asleep."

"Then you and I should go in first. Just to make sure they're even there."

She looked up. The top of the building disappeared in the darkness. "Ok."

* * *

The door opened.

Jessica immediately looked at the ground where a painting depicting the explosion of New York. It was so large. Brilliant painting strokes and blots that foreshadowed the destruction of lives. She took a deep breath. The painting was haunting.

She walked down the stairs, ducking underneath variously colored strings and pictures. Target followed behind her. Their soft breathing complimented the quiet tapping of their feet against the floor.

"It doesn't look like anybody's been here for a while."

She closed her eyes. "I can feel bodies nearby."

"How many?"

"A lot."

"Who are you?"

Target and Jessica turned around. In the archway that led into the next room, a man stood. He wore a suit, battered and dirty from too many battles. The man tilted his head in an inquisitive fashion. He repeated the question.

"I'm sorry," Jessica said. "I didn't know anybody lived here."

The man smiled.

"I was under the impression that this was the residence of Peter Petrelli."

"It is."

"Is he here right now?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah."

Jessica walked towards him. "Take me to him, please."

"Okay."

Target ducked beneath a red string, making his way up the stairs to leave. "I'll get Tara and Danny out of the car."

"Okay," Jessica nodded. She turned back to the stranger. "My name is Jessica."

"Hi," he replied. "I'm Dawn."

"Where is Peter? Or Hiro?"

Dawn looked down sadly. "I'll show you."

Jessica followed the strange person into the next room. The darkened loft had used paint buckets and unwashed paintbrushes littered across almost every surface. Canvases with perfectly blended reds and whites, blacks and hues of shade. This was the world of a great painter. His paintings depicted the way the world happened. His paintings depicted death. Destruction.

She looked at the people in the room to her left. These were the body signatures that she felt. Who were these people? What were they doing here? She could only assume that they were somehow friends with Peter or Hiro.

"They're in there."

Jessica walked up the three-step staircase. Two beds were parallel with each other. Peter lay on one, arms at his sides, legs together. The other bed held Hiro, arms crossed, unconscious. She turned to Dawn. "What happened to them?"

"They teleported us away from New Jersey."

"All of you?"

"Yeah."

"They must have passed out from exhaustion."

"Or they might be dead."

Jessica threw a glance at her. "I can feel their vitals. They're both still alive."

"Can you help them?"

Jessica took a deep breath and sighed. "No. I can only manipulate the biology in them. Exhaustion has nothing to do with their physical makeup. Based on both of their abilities, I'd say it's mental. I can't heal someone who's mentally exhausted."

Dawn shrugged. "I guess we're going to have to wait until they wake up."

Her head drifted away from the unconscious warriors to the strange person below the third step. "What are you waiting for?"

Dawn smiled. "We're making a plan to take down The Government for good."

* * *

Inspector Brown sat on a couch.

Evolved humans surrounded him.

It was awkward to even be allied with one let alone being in the same room as ten other evolved humans. But even though he felt out of place and a little bit awkward, he knew it was the right choice. He knew that it was the right thing to do. These people were being treated unfairly by The Government.

Fear shouldn't be law, yet it controlled the lives of so many high officials and government departments.

Once again, the human race had fallen into its old cycle of racism and discrimination. The vicious cycle that seemed as old as time. A group of people hates some other group and the more influential excludes the unwanted from society. The evolved humans were, in fact, human just like the rest of them. Despite their abilities, despite their difference, they had rights as human beings.

Terrorism is no reason to lock up every evolved human.

Fear is no reason to attack every evolved human.

Inspector Brown looked out at the decimation of New York City. The world was united after that day. But they were united against a group of individuals regarded as threats. The world needed a dramatic event to make them take drastic action. If the evolved humans didn't do anything now, they would never get the freedom that they so rightly deserved.

Sarah took a seat next to him.

"This is big," he stated. "This is… huge."

"I know."

"I've always heard of Petrelli and Nakamura… do you think they can do what all of these other people say they can do?"

She nodded. "I do. I believe it."

He inhaled, sitting back into the comfort of his seat. "I know that we made a decision to be neutral in this… in the war, but I don't think it's going to work the way we envisioned it."

"I know. We need these people."

"We need them to do what we think is right." He turned to her. "What do you think is right?"

"I thought I knew. I thought killing murderers was right. I thought just protecting the city was right. I thought staying neutral was right, but these things aren't. What I thought was right only ended in more frustration… so what do I think is right? To be honest with you, I think joining Petrelli against The Government is the right choice. They have some good ideas."

Inspector Brown nodded his head. "That's what I was thinking."

* * *

Casey isolated herself in the corner of the loft. From a distance she heard the faint chatter of conversation, but her mind was deafened by her thoughts raging for vengeance. It was her only drive in life now that Alec was dead. Kelsey Walters' actions justified death.

But Sarah had to get in the way.

Sarah slowly approached the young woman. "Casey… we need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I don't blame you for fighting for something you truly believe in-"

"You make me sick, Sarah."

"Listen to me-"

"No, you listen to me!" She sneered. "At least I believe in something. _You_ keep doing what you think is right, and you keep changing what you think is right, you start a career as a rooftop hopping vigilante and then ally yourself with the city's inspector… anything you say to me will be nothing more than white noise 'cause I don't care what you have to say."

Sarah nodded her head. "You're right. You're absolutely right."

Casey slammed her fist into the wall. "Why wouldn't you let me kill her?!"

She sighed. "I was doing what I thought was right… apparently I was wrong."

"Go figure, I thought you were just being a genius."

"I thought that staying neutral in a battle that didn't concern me was the right decision. But I didn't account the drive each side had. You will stop at nothing to exact vengeance. Kelsey will not stop until she has killed you. No matter what my intentions were, no matter how hard I can try, innocent lives are going to be lost. There's nothing I can do about that." She stared intently into Casey's eyes, making sure she had her attention. "But I can make sure that innocent lives in the future won't be harm, which is why I'm joining in the revolution against The Government."

"Same old, Sarah. Like I said before: you make me sick."

"I'm doing what I think is right."

"That sounds familiar."

"And I think you should join us too."

"Why?"

"I believe we have a chance at winning this."

"You make it sound like a game."

"The Government doesn't know-"

"This isn't a game, Sarah."

"You don't have to remind me! But we could use someone like you in the ranks. And I was thinking about Kelsey. She's against us. You want revenge. If you want to get to her, we're your best chance at finding out where she is."

"I can find her by myself."

"Kelsey is powerful-"

"So am I."

"Please… think about it."

Casey turned her head away from The Guardian Angel, drawing her attention to the world outside the window. She was not interested in anything else Sarah had to say.

She nodded her head, accepting the fact that Casey would not do anything she didn't want to do. "I hope you make the right decision."

Casey walked towards the window, brushing her shoulder begrudgingly against Sarah's. Her body transformed into water. Without a second glance, she melted away, slipping underneath the pane of glass and out of the building.

* * *

"What do you think we should do now?"

Jeanette crossed her arms. Philip, Will, Dawn and she stood in a small circle trying to think of the world that they were trying to save. The plan that they had concocted with Peter and Hiro included both of them. Now that they were incapacitated, it put a damper on the strategy. Brainstorming was difficult. There was the four of them, a human, two vigilantes, three children, and two mysterious newcomers who claimed that they knew Peter. Not much of an army.

Will tapped his foot in thought. "Whatever happened with those people we were searching for?"

"Peter said that Molly would find them."

"She and Noah are looking now," Philip added.

"Yeah."

Their lips sealed. More thoughts crept into their heads. Will knew what they should do, but they didn't have enough time to do it. Even if he could somehow gather an army of evolved humans, there wasn't a guarantee that they would have the nerve to revolt. Philip had an idea of how to take down The Government, but once again, it would take time. Infiltrating The White House wasn't going to be easy and even if he did there would be a guarantee that he'd succeed in assassinating The President.

"Well," Dawn said, "I guess we can get rid of the idea of asking Bob for help."

"What's wrong with her?" Philip whispered to Jeanette.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Will doesn't seem to mind."

Will ignored his friend's comment. "The United definitely had the right idea by taking down The Government's high profile facilities."

"Taking down Military Base 21 would have taken our their weapons," Philip said, "destroying the U.S. Department of Homeland Security would have brought chaos to the curfew and within The Secret Service, and taking out The President would leave room for revolution."

"It's still a good plan." Peter stood underneath the archway. He staggered a little bit but regained his balance. "We can still do it."

Jessica stood up, allowing Target to take the baby from her hands. She ran to him. "Peter, you're awake."

He nodded to her. "Jessica. It's been a while. What are you doing here?"

"We have nowhere else to go."

"This isn't a nursery."

"Please, allow us to stay."

He looked at Tara and Danny. He sighed. "Okay. You can stay."

Philip cleared his throat. "You think we can still do the original plan?"

"Yes."

"How? We don't have the numbers to have full scale assaults."

Peter smiled. "We'll have enough." He gestured with his head towards the door. Molly stood in the doorway. He grinned at her. "Did you find them?"

Noah Bennett entered through the doorway. "Every single one."

Five individuals came in after him. A tall man. Dark skinned, bald head. A small goatee under his chin added to his look. He stood next to a tall attractive woman. Long blonde hair that reached past her shoulders. A young boy, perhaps around Molly's age, stood next to her. Curly black hair and a cheerful smile that was full of optimism and innocence. The fifth new member was a tall, rounded man. Stylized hair, messy in the back, and a strong jaw line.

Peter personally greeted them all. "How are you doing, D.L.?"

"Doin' pretty good, considering the circumstances."

"Niki. Micah."

"Hello, Peter."

"Hi."

"Matt." Peter shook his hand.

"Where's Hiro?"

Peter made his way down the stairs, followed closely by the new recruits. "He's still unconscious. I just woke up a few minutes ago." He turned to The United introducing the other members of the revolution. "This is what's left of The United: Philip, Jeanette, Dawn, and Will. And some newcomers: Jessica, her guardian, Target," he stopped at Sarah. "What's your name?"

"Sarah."

"And this is Sarah. They will be helping us take down The Government."

Philip stepped forward. "Now that we've met everyone, can we get down to business?"

"Not yet. Hiro is a key player in this," Peter said. "We need him."

"Shouldn't he have woken up already? You're up," Dawn added.

"We can't do this without him-"

"Yes we can," Philip interrupted. "The Secret Service knows that we're still alive. We have to attack now. He wouldn't want us to stand around doing nothing when our window of opportunity has significantly lessened. We must attack now. With or without him."

Peter sighed. "Fine. Philip, since you know the plan: debrief everyone."

The ex-leader of The United turned his attention to the group. "Okay. Here's the plan: Two targets, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and The White House. We need to dispatch two groups. Peter, choose who you need to take out The President."

"Washington D.C is the most heavily guarded area in the United States. I'll need most of the group."

Philip nodded his head. "That's fine. I'll take… Sarah, Dawn, and… Jessica."

"No," Target objected. "She can't go. She needs to take care of her child."

"Are you available?"

He looked at his mother and then back at the man. "Yes."

"Good, then I'll take Target."

"What about Robert?" Sarah asked.

"What about him? He's a human."

"That doesn't mean that he wouldn't help."

Philip turned to Inspector Brown. He stared at his face quickly. "I'll trust her that you will help us. But if you double cross us and I find out, I'll will kill you myself."

The Inspector knew that he would never betray what he believed in.

"Okay," Peter said. "Matt, Noah, D.L, Niki and Micah. You're with me."

"Wait, Micah can't go," Niki objected. "He's too young."

"We need him."

She looked at his son.

He smiled at her. "I can do this, Mom."

"I know you can… I'm just afraid."

D.L took his wife's hand into his. "He can do this."

"Jeanette and Will, you're with me too."

She nodded her head, ready for her task.

Dawn looked at Will. "We won't be on the same team?"

"It's okay, Dawn," he grinned. "I'll see you once this is all over with."

The woman nodded her head. "I know… it's just that we're always on the same team."

He laughed. "Not this time."

"What about the children?"

Philip looked at Tara and Danny. "They can come if they want, we need all the help we can get, but I don't feel comfortable putting the lives of children at risk."

Tara stood up. "I want to help."

Danny shook his head. "It wouldn't matter even if I did."

Philip sighed. "Okay, so this is what we need to do…"

(Washington, D.C.)

Washington, D.C. A city full of security. Every street was crowded with the boots of officers, keeping the curfew in affect. An outrageous amount of troops littered the District of Columbia, showing the full force of The System and what it stood for. Power. Dominance. Control. It stood for a symbol that told every evolved human who was in power: Humans.

Feet stepped.

Heads bobbed.

The soldiers made their way down the streets.

Peter opened his eyes.

A once empty alley was suddenly filled with the bodies of evolved humans. Noah Bennett loaded his pistol and cocked it. Flipping the collar of his jacket up, he took a look down the path as the lights from the government's vehicles flashed down the lane.

"Can they see us?" he asked.

Peter coolly shook his head. "I absorbed the traitor's power of camouflage. I thought it would come in handy."

"Good job."

D.L peaked around the corner. "Well, this definitely isn't going to be easy."

"Matt," Peter said. "Scan their minds. I want to know where the city is the most heavily guarded and where it is the least."

Matt leaned forward. Listening. The voices of the various soldiers passed through his head. He chose what he wanted to hear. He knew what he was looking for. President. Security. National Mall. White House. His eyes shifted back and forth, finding the last remnants of information he needed.

"Most of the security is at The National Mall, but it's a diversion. There's a decoy president there. The least guarded area is The White House." He chuckled. "They think it's untouchable."

"I need you to go to The National Mall and create a diversion. Put some images in their heads long enough to get a majority of the army over there."

Matt nodded his head. "I'm on it."

"D.L, Will, Jeanette, Noah, Niki, Micah and Tara: You need to hold off the Secret Service I can assassinate The President."

Will nodded his head.

Peter took a deep breath, mentally going over the plans, making sure he had covered all of his bases. "Let's go."

(U.S Department of Homeland Security)

The moon hung open like a rotting wound. Silver lines cast shadows over building tops and street lamps. An empty evening to a full day. Four individuals stood in front of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Four evolved humans stood still. A symbol of united strength. A symbol for evolved humans everywhere who were too afraid to do anything themselves. They stood for freedom.

The most powerful thing is drive. They wanted their freedom. And they were willing to do anything to get it.

Inspector Brown adjusted the second rifle draped across his chest. Two pistols in side holsters. A belt of grenades. Two Colt M16 rifles hanging on his back and another in his hand. He took a deep breath. His breath drifted aimlessly in the crisp wind. "Well, you were right, Sarah. The NEC was the quickest way to Philadelphia."

She pulled her gloves over her fingers. "Are you ready?"

He cocked the rifle. "Yes."

"This is really brave of you to do, Inspector. You're not even an evolved human."

"I don't have to be an evolved human to see that they are being persecuted over nothing. I thought we were done with racism and discrimination in this country, but I was wrong. I'm fighting to end that."

Sarah looked at the building, taking slow deep breaths. She knew that they could win. There was no doubt in her mind that everything they were fighting for worth the odds.

Dawn clenched her fists. "This rock-man is so going to help us during this fight. Did you know that I can create earthquakes? If anybody tries to get us, I'll smash 'em with an earthquake."

"That's great, Dawn," Philip said. Facing their objective, he stared down the lane. He clenched his fist, an ember of flame igniting in his palm. Everyone stared forward. Ready to attack. "The plan is simple: Take them down." He nodded his head. "Let's do it."

* * *

Peter's eyes glowed, keeping his team hidden in camouflage. They walked down the streets undetected. Nobody knew they were there. It was an exciting feeling to walk passed the enemy without their knowledge. Tara gripped her rifle in hand, anxiety already taking hold. Her finger twitched on the trigger. She wanted to let loose.

Emotions were running high. And everyone couldn't wait to fight.

"All officers dispatch: Peter Petrelli has been seen at The National Mall. Repeat: Peter Petrelli has been seen at The National Mall. High Priority. Evolved Terrorist. Extreme caution."

Officers and soldiers left their stations, leaving The White House grounds to attend to the distress call. A few decoy soldiers remained; keeping the façade that The President was still there. Peter kept his eyes roving across the grounds, scanning minds to get information he could use.

"Take out some guards and steal their clothes," he said to D.L.

He nodded his head and attacked some sentries. He gestured quickly to Noah and Will. Stripping down the guards' clothes, they changed into soldier attire. D.L shouldered a rifle. "So what now?"

Peter looked at the house in white. "I need you to stay here with the rest of the group to hold off anybody who might come."

He nodded his head in confirmation.

"I'll be back."

* * *

Agent Rockwell stood still. Army soldiers ran across his vision, escorting the civilians off of the grounds. The sighting of Peter Petrelli was definitely good cause for disruption. He had been waiting a long time to meet him face to face.

But he was nowhere to be found.

Everywhere they looked, everywhere he had been spotted, and neither Wayne nor the army could find him. The chase was beginning to become futile.

Something caught his eye.

He turned his head.

Peter Petrelli darted into an empty parking garage.

He gave chase. "This is Agent Rockwell in pursuit of Petrelli. He is heading north into the parking garage."

Wayne turned the corner. The car lot was empty. Concrete pillars stood between him and the person he was looking for. It was dark. The light from outside came in at the entrance, but did not fill the entire empty space. But that wasn't a problem for him. With a twitch of his finger, bright light escaped through his body.

"Where are you?" He whispered.

He twisted around as a fist crashed into his jaw. He regained his balance and shot a flash of light.

His opponent fell backwards into the wall, grabbing at his eyes.

Wayne charged a blast of photon energy and exploded it in Peter's chest. He yelled in pain, falling on the ground. Wayne stood over the fallen man. He grinned in victory when suddenly the Peter Petrelli turned into a soldier.

"What the hell?" He bent down and touched the face, connecting the dots. "He's not here… Why would someone create an illusion of Petrelli, and get the entire army in Washington, D.C here… away from The White House… the President!" He ran out of the parking garage. "Peter Petrelli is a decoy!" He yelled into his communication device. "All personnel back to White House now!"

* * *

Philip looked at The Inspector. "Get their attention."

Inspector Brown shot off a round into the sky.

"Again."

He took a grenade off of his belt and threw it at the front door, exploding it off of its frame.

Uniformed soldiers ran out of the building, bringing their weapons up and aiming it at the four individuals. Weapons loaded. Eyes aimed. Over fifty guards took their stance. They got their attention.

Philip turned to Dawn. "Let's see that earthquake."

She took a few steps forward. She closed her eyes, bringing her hands up on either side of her body. The ground began to shake. She made her hands into fists. Clenched her teeth. Bringing her foot up, she crashed it back down to the ground. A crack in the cement split the floor.

She stomped again.

The soldiers lost their balance.

She brought her hands up and smashed the ground.

The earth quaked. The floor warped and distorted. Rocked and waved like an ocean. Cars turned over. Street lamps crumbled. And the fifty soldiers in front of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security fell to their deaths within the earthquake.

Sarah took a deep breath.

Inspector Brown raised his gun.

Philip's body erupted in flame. "Go!"

Target flew into the building, creating a vortex of wind moving higher and higher to the top floors. He landed on the second floor, punching the closest guard. He grabbed his body and threw him off. The body fell two stories to the ground, bones breaking upon impact.

He brought his hands up. A gust of wind pushed the line of soldiers backward. He jumped into the fray. Kicking and punching with as much ferocity as he could muster.

Sarah increased her density, picking up a fallen block of wall and launching it at a group of guards, smashing them immediately.

They lined up firing round after round of bullets.

She grabbed Inspector Brown and hid behind the lobby desk.

He shot off a few rounds before coming back down. "Thanks."

Sarah winked at him. "No problem."

Decreasing density, she lifted off into the air to attack more soldiers.

Dawn's body was completely covered in rock armor, compliments of Mr. Blaire the Rock-Man. Bullets ricochet off of her skin. She wielded her power with glee. Throwing soldiers through walls was just too much fun.

A guard swung his rifle against her back. She flinched.

She grabbed him by the head and smashed him into the wall, before flinging him across the lobby.

Philip unleashed a pillar of fire out of his palms, torching the bodies of uniformed soldiers. He ducked behind some cover. Bullets crashed into the walls, exploding pieces of cement in every direction. The soldiers were relentless. There seemed to be too many.

The fire burned within him too strongly. He wouldn't be stopped now.

Somersaulting out, he tripped a guard and knocked him unconscious. He opened his hand. A fireball exploded in another guard's face.

* * *

Micah sighed. "I don't know what we're supposed to be doing here. There aren't any soldiers around to watch.

Noah patted him on the back. "That makes our job that much easier."

Tara turned around. "Does anybody hear that… buzzing?"

"Over there."

Wayne Rockwell led the army forward. Tanks. Police Cruisers. Soldiers.

Noah aimed. "Give it to 'em. We need to hold them off until Peter finishes his job."

Jeanette opened her hands. A force field opened around them. "D.L, Noah and Tara, you can still shoot through the shield, but there's a lot of them, so we can't use our abilities until they get closer."

Tara sprayed a round at the approaching army. "Sounds good to me!"

Noah fired.

D.L took Niki's hand into his own. "I love you, Nik. You know that."

"I know."

"We'll make it through this."

"I know."

He lifted his rifle and pulled the trigger.

Mr. Bennett and Tara fired. Taking out as many as they could. Wayne Rockwell continued forward. A few bullets took down the soldiers around him, but he had an army. And there were only seven of them. Not exactly what he was expecting, but someone was trying to assassinate the president. He wasn't about to let that happen.

He opened a com-link. "Evolved humans are trying to assassinate the president! Shoot to kill. The terrorists must be stopped! Bring in The Nullifiers."

"Wayne! This is Kelsey"

"What's the problem?"

"A group of evolved terrorists have attacked the Department of Homeland Security."

"I have a problem of my own over here. Contact the head of the secret service and handle it yourself."

"James Lee?"

"And contact Connor. Tell him to bring reinforcements."

"Roger that. Kelsey out."

He put his hand up, stopping the army from moving forward. "Fire!"

The army shot at the group of evolved humans. The bullets were stopped by the invisible force field, harmlessly bouncing off. Gunshots resounded out in the sky. Gun power rose up. Wayne turned to the Lieutenant next to him. "When the weapon comes, use it. I'm going to see if The President is all right."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

Kelsey opened her hand, blasting Dawn against the wall. The material of the walls crumbled around her feet.

Dawn recovered, swinging her rock-like arms at the secret service agent.

She ducked underneath a blow, piercing the woman's mind with a high-pitched siren. Dawn fumbled forward, off balance and losing equilibrium. Kelsey jumped in the air and kicked her to the ground.

Kelsey grinned, ready to kill her.

"Walters!"

She turned her head.

Casey stood a few feet away.

"You."

She ran forward, simultaneously turning her body into water. A stream of liquid lifted into the air and crashed into Kelsey, forcing her down.

Her body reformed. Casey brought her fists down onto her face.

"Miss me?" she growled cynically.

Kelsey punched her off of her body. "Not really."

Helicopters landed just outside the broken building. Soldiers ran out. Reinforcements had arrived. Connor Franklin took a step onto the cement. James Lee took stood beside him, followed by Destiny Mclaine.

"Wayne is taking care of the situation at The White House."

"Kelsey is in there."

James grabbed their arms and teleported inside.

* * *

Peter turned a corner telekinetically pushing a guard into the door. He coolly made his way down the hall, taking out any guard who was stupid enough to get in his way. Using the vast array of abilities at his disposal, getting rid of the secret service who protected The President was easy.

The Oval Office came quickly. He stood just outside the door. Using the power absorbed by Matt, he scanned the minds inside. There were officers keeping him safe. But something was off. Something was different. Something wasn't right.

Peter extended his arms and opened the door.

Guns pointed at him.

They had no chance.

He spun around, tossing agents through windows and walls. He opened his hand and flames engulfed their bodies. Expertly, he disposed of every person in the room. Bodies lay cold on the floor. Unconscious. Peter could still hear the thoughts of the president. But it wasn't what he expected.

President Linderman stood alone in the Oval Office.

"It's over," he said.

President Linderman shook his head. "Peter? I never thought I'd see you again."

"Again?"

A shimmering light distorted the image around the President. Distortions rearranged and came back together.

Peter took a step back in shock. "Sylar."

* * *

Will looked on as Tara and Noah ran out of rounds to fire. The Army had a full supply. And Jeanette was running out of energy. She strained to keep up the force field. She closed her eyes, blood dripping from her nostril. But she kept it up. The constant barrage of metal piercing the frame. The explosion of grenade shrapnel. It was tough.

He growled. "I'm going out there."

Niki was taken aback. "What?"

"Bullet's can't hurt me. I'm strong. We're running out of ammunition over here. I can't just stand around while Jeanette takes a beating. I'm going out there."

D.L shook his hand. "Do it."

Will went over to Jeanette. He pressed his lips against hers. "I'll be back."

His feet left the ground and he flew through the force field towards the Army. They fired at him. The bullets bounced off of his face, off of his skin, and did no harm whatsoever. He smashed into the first person he saw. He yelled in adrenaline pumping anger. They tried to attack him back, but he was too quick. He was too strong. The soldiers flew into the air and crashed down to earth. Hard.

Tara dropped her rifle. "Damn it, I'm out."

Noah gave her his second pistol. "There's only one round in that one."

"Jeanette, can you move the force field closer?" D.L asked.

She took a deep breath. "Yes… I'll try."

He nodded his head. "Will needs help, but we need to be closer."

* * *

The battle was slowly turning. Reinforcements proved to be harder to dismantle than they thought. And the inclusion of The Secret Service Agents didn't improve their situation. Sarah and Inspector Brown had their hands full fighting the uniformed soldiers coming in from virtually every direction. Dawn provided help, but three against a hundred were odds against them once again.

Casey came to kill Kelsey, but Destiny stood in her way. Destiny had training in martial arts and Casey did not. She had the superior ability and she wasn't about to be stopped yet.

Destiny kicked Casey in the stomach. She spun around and kicked her into the wall, cornering her.

Casey whipped her hands around, taking the moisture out of the air while simultaneously super freezing it. The icicle formed in her hand.

The agent jumped back. Casey tossed the icicle. It flew through the air and punctured her chest. Destiny stood still before her legs gave out.

She walked passed the dying secret agent and searched for Kelsey Walters.

Target ducked as a fist flew at his head.

He lowered his head and tackled Kelsey to the ground. She opened her mouth and a siren focused through is body. He fell backwards, allowing her to kick him back down.

James teleported behind Philip, smashing his head into the operating desk. He whipped his head back, head-butting James in the face. Spinning around he threw a fireball at his opponent.

He teleported out of the way, reappearing in front of him. He jabbed him in the stomach, an uppercut to his chin and a kick to the face.

Philip fell. Defeated. Blood ran down his cheek. Off of his lip. The flame in his hand disappeared in a puff of smoke. He was done. He tried his best, but it wasn't enough.

James walked forward.

He opened his hand and fired another blast of fire.

He teleported away from it.

He dropped his hand. It was all he could give. Philip took a deep breath.

James pulled out his pistol.

Philip accepted his demise.

And he was dead.

* * *

The Nullifier was ready.

And it was on.

Will flew into the sky, escaping its frequency, but he was caught in its way, losing his power. A soldier lifted his rifle and fired. The bullets ripped through his skin. He yelled in agony. The blood falling out of the holes back down to earth.

Will fell.

The world spinning his mind.

D.L saw him fall. "Will's down!"

"No!" Jeanette dropped the force field. "Will!"

Niki held her back. "You have to put the force field back up!"

Noah fell. A bullet in his eye.

"Jeanette! Put it back up!"

She fell upon her knees. Tears streaming out of her eyes.

"Grab me," D.L said.

Tara grabbed his arm. Micah grabbed her hand. He took hold of his mother who held Jeanette. D.L closed his eyes, fighting to keep everyone intangible. The bullets passed through them.

"Put the force field back up."

Jeanette opened her hands and the invisible shield surrounded them.

He keeled over, holding his stomach. He took deep breaths.

Micah twitched. "There's a machine that they're using… I can feel it."

Niki grabbed him by the shoulders. "Run, Micah. Run away."

"What? No! I won't-"

"Micah!" D.L commanded. "Get out of here."

Jeanette whimpered under the pressure. "I can't hold it up for much longer."

"Tara, get him out of here."

Tara grabbed Micah's hand. "C'mon."

"No, I won't leave you, Mom!"

"Go!"

Tara ran past Jeanette, out of the safety of the force field, pulling Micah behind her. She ran down the street into the alley of a nearby building. She did not stop. They told her to run. They told her to take Micah and run. And that's what she did. She didn't look back.

Jeanette opened her eyes. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?"

"I feel numb… I've felt this before."

The protective barrier between them and the enemy fire fluctuated.

Niki grabbed her am as a bullet struck her.

The force field dropped.

And the Army continued to fire.

* * *

Connor kicked Casey in the leg, tripping her to the ground. She got back up and tried to fight back, but she could not see him. He was invisible.

"Where are you, Kelsey?! Don't hide behind him! Fight me!"

He struck her in the face.

She put up her hands. She could not block the attacks of something she could not see. Connor persistently attacked her. She took every hit. The thought that if she survived the battle, she could still kill Kelsey, kept her alive, numb to each strike.

Sarah heard the shriek.

Target flew into a pillar.

Kelsey pulled out her gun, pressing it against his temple.

Sarah lunged at the agent, making her drop the weapon.

She closed her eyes and increased her density to keep her down.

Inspector Brown shouldered the rifle. He ran to where Sarah was. "Hold her still, hold her still!"

Kelsey struggled to get loose, but she could not.

Sarah held her. "Do it!"

Inspector Brown aimed.

James teleported behind him, forcing his elbow into the side of his head. Brown dropped his gun. The agent jumped up and kicked him over the ledge of the staircase.

He toppled down four stories.

"Inspector!" Sarah yelled after him. She decreased her density and jumped over the edge. She focused all of her power on him, decreasing his density. His decent lessened and she grabbed his hand. Immediately increasing density, she crashed on the bottom floor, both of them unharmed.

"Let's finish this!" Kelsey growled.

James helped her up and together they teleported down the four stories to the ground floor.

Dawn took her fist and slammed it into the last soldier.

She whooped in victory. "That's what I'm talking about!"

She looked around. The bodies of the soldiers crushed and broken at her feet. They had fought bravely, but in the end, Dawn was better against them. Her eye glanced past her fallen opponents to Target, who laid on the floor. She came up to him. "Are you okay?"

He stirred, struggling to move. "I've been better."

She smiled and touched him, inhabiting his body. She opened her eyes, slowly moving his arms and legs. She brought herself up to a standing position. Dawn took a deep breath. "Well… this is a little bit easier."

Casey turned into water. Every strike Connor punched went through her body, leaving her unharmed. She twisted the liquid around her and flung it in every direction. The pressure pushed him back.

Inspector Brown saw the water run down his invisible skin. Quickly pulling out his pistol, her fired two shots. Connor de-cloaked, two bullet holes in his stomach.

Kelsey and James teleported down to them.

Casey immediately saw her. She rushed the agent into the wall. Swinging her arms in a blind fury, striking every part of her body. Kelsey was taken off guard and she took could do nothing to stop her.

James pointed his gun and fired.

Inspector Brown dropped, holding his shoulder.

"Robert!"

He aimed his weapon at Sarah.

Dawn opened her hand.

James stopped. He grabbed his throat. Air. It left his lungs.

She walked forward, manipulating the air within him. Taking it away.

Suffocation. He fell to his knees. His eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Dawn grinned as he collapsed. Dead.

Sarah smiled. "Thanks, but I didn't need to be saved."

"I didn't do it to save you," Dawn said. "I just wanted to test out this guy's powers. Very interesting."

Sarah bent down and picked up The Inspector. He groaned as blood curled out of the bullet wound. She turned to Dawn. "We have to get out of here."

"What about Casey?"

She looked at her old friend. "Casey can take care of herself. Let's go."

Kelsey punched her in the face. She grabbed her hair and rammed her head into her knee. Kicking her backwards, Kelsey wiped the blood off of her lip. She opened her hands and unleashed a powerful blast of sound. It exploded in Casey's body. Flinging her backwards into the wall. She slid down to the ground. Her strength was slowly leaving. But she had a strong drive.

Kelsey grinned. And kicked her in the face.

"You thought you could kill me."

Casey closed her eyes.

"You thought you could avenge his death."

She focused on the moisture in the air.

"But you failed." Kelsey picked her up by her collar and lifted her off of the seat of her pants. She shook her violently. "You failed!"

Casey lifted her hand and forced the icicle into Kelsey's chest.

She dropped her. Falling back.

Casey took a deep breath. She smiled.

The agent took her last ounce of oxygen, before her life perished.

Casey avenged Alec's death. Closing her eyes, she was finally, happy. All of the frustration and anger built up inside of her became quiet. She had done what she set out to do. The rest was silence.

* * *

"Sylar," he said again.

"Oh yes, Pete. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"You died. You died in the explosion."

He shook his head. The wicked grin still on his lips.

"No!" Peter used the manipulation of flame from Philip to send a pillar of fire from his fingertips.

Sylar evaded the attack, using telekinesis to force his adversary through the president's desk and onto the wall.

He was pinned. Sylar held him against the barrier. He could not move.

"I've been waiting a long time to see you, Pete. I've been dying to see how your ability works."

Peter twitched his finger and a broken piece of wood lodged itself in his stomach. Sylar grunted and blood trailed down the edge of the sharpened plank. The young man fell, finally loosened from the telekinetic grip.

Sylar smiled. He ripped the wooden stake out of his stomach, dropping it in front of Peter's eyes. The blood stopped flowing. The injury automatically healed itself. He smiled. "Compliments of a cheerleader."

He took a step back. "That's how you survived."

"Nothing can stop me."

Peter lifted his hands, every piece of broken desk flung at Sylar. While he was distracted, he jumped out of the window and flew off into the night. He was not prepared to face Sylar. He was not prepared to lose. Having him alive brought new complications to his mission.

They had lost.

He had failed.

The President had been assassinated. But by Sylar.

The U.S Department of Homeland Security had been destroyed. But it didn't matter.

And in Isaac's loft, Hiro opened his eyes.

He had finally awoken.


	61. Epilogue: The Hour Glass

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE "EPILOGUE: THE HOUR GLASS"

(Isaac's Loft)

Hiro opened his eyes. The ceiling of the room came into focus. The slow spinning blades of the fan spun constantly around in circles. It was almost mesmerizing. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his left temple left him where he lay. He took short breaths, eventually hoping to get to longer ones, but for the moment it would have to do.

Slowly, the pain resided and he was able to sit up. He swung his legs over the side and stood up. He was still a little bit weak, but the wobbliness in his calves soon went away. Making his way down the three-step staircase, Hiro began to wonder where everyone was.

The loft was virtually empty.

He walked past the room that held Isaac's paintings into the front room that held the strings of time. The multicolored pieces of fabric symbolized the life of certain people. To his surprise, a lone boy lay in the very middle. He turned in his sleep. Shifted uneasily as if haunted by a nightmare.

Hiro quickly approached. "Are you okay?"

He jerked his head to the left. Pain in his scrunched expression.

He reached over and touched his shoulder, trying to shake him out of his nightmare.

As soon as his finger connected with the fabric the boy's shirt, something extraordinary happened.

The boy's eyes shot open.

And Hiro was bombarded with images. Images of people. Places. Events. Circling around his psyche, he saw Peter falling down a building, Nathan flying up to catch him. He saw Ando sitting at his desk, chatting online with someone he could not decipher. D.L carried a little girl out of a burning building. He was dressed in a fire fighter's uniform. Sylar stood behind Claire Bennett, cutting off her head. Mohinder, ripping off the door of a taxi cab, running away from a mysterious figure. Matt standing with Nathan against Peter and a man he did not recognize, a sword in his hand. He saw Charlie, old but with a family. A camera crew stood quietly as a cheerleader jumped off of a Ferris Wheel.

All of the images and events seemed hauntingly familiar, but only a few of them actually happened.

Hiro let go of his shirt. Shocked. And utterly confused.

"What just happened?" the boy asked, startled.

"I… I only touched you – I was trying to wake you up, but… something happened."

"Did you see them too?"

"See what?"

"The images. Did you see them too?"

Hiro was more than confused. "Yes. I saw them."

"When you touched me?"

He nodded his head.

"I've been having dreams like that for the last year. Sometimes its like the one you just saw. People that I hardly even know. Peter Petrelli. I never met him before today, but I've been having nightmares about him for a long time." The boy stared off into the distance. His eyes focused on the memories that were not real.

Hiro took a seat next to him. "What's your name?"

"Danny."

"Where is everyone else, Danny?"

"Out. Trying to save the world."

"Trying?"

"They won't succeed."

"Why?"

"Look at the way things have been going. The Washington Monument explodes. New York City explodes. Nobody thought any of that would happen in such a short time. The act against evolved humans. The System. Everything just… happened."

Hiro watched the young man talk. There was a lot of misery in his face. A lot of realized cynicism of things that he should not know about. Or even care about. He was just a boy. But he worried about things even he worried about.

"How can something be so different than what was expected?" Danny asked. It was a rhetorical question, but Hiro answered it mentally. "I thought things were going to be okay. I never thought the world was going to turn out like this. No one ever talks about it. They don't need to. They just have to look out the window and see the living monument to destruction and death."

"You're just a boy. Why are you so concerned with these things?"

"It's my future. A world that I already known is doomed to nothing."

Hiro took a deep breath. "How long have you had these… dreams?"

"Since last year. They just… started happening."

"A lot of the things I saw happened. A lot of them didn't, but I can't explain your power. It's like you see the future, but you also see alternate futures."

"They're like memories, except they haven't happened. It's like I remembered them, but they're already gone. A different reality. A separate timeline. There's no way to really tell the difference, but the people are the same, only the incidents are different." Danny looked up at the strings, mentally counting the different ones. "And I remember them. Like ghosts in my mind. I remember them. Every single flash is like a luminance of light. A single image that tells me what was supposed to happen. Or what _could_ happen. Only for a moment can I see the brightness that it shows. But every chance I get, I hold on to it because it's better than what I see now. It's better than the truth."

"The truth. What truth?"

"Of death. Everyone is probably already dead."

"How can you think like that?"

Danny looked down at his hands. Shifting his feet. He looked at Hiro and shrugged. "Sometimes I feel like everything is falling apart… Actually, everything fell apart already. I'm just having a hard time dealing with it. One thing happened, then another, and then another until I woke up one morning in a world full of fear and violence. It wasn't a dream, or a nightmare, although I wish it were. The dreams I have now would make a better reality. Things would be so much better." He looked towards the open window. At the destroyed skeleton of New York City. "The world wouldn't be an extinguished flame, smoking from the tips, wishing that the embers would ignite once again to bring back life into the ash that overcame it. The world would be saved."

"_I_ can save it, Danny." He needed to give him hope. "I can save the world."

"No matter how much I want it to, I know nothing will change. People die. There's nothing I can do about it. I've seen too much already. Too many deaths. Too many broken hearts. It's frightening to know that it won't stop. It's still going to be there when I go to sleep and it's still going to be there when I wake up. They are the more advanced species. They are the stronger breed. But even lions roar when they're threatened. And even they can't change our futures."

Hiro stood up. Danny had no hope whatsoever. It was no wonder he was so depressed. "I can go back in time and change an event so that none of this ever happened. See these strings? They show the lives of everyone involved up to the New York City explosion. I've gone back to fix it before-"

"Did it work?"

"I've done it multiple times… but, each time it hasn't been successful. Peter doesn't know that I've done it. He think that the time line is too fragile, but I know I can fix everything."

"There must be a reason for everything that has happened. There must be a reason why these atrocities keep happening."

"I will find a way to fix it, Danny."

"Where is it all leading? Everybody keeps saying that we're in a war. A fight for justice. But there are reasons for wars. If we are soldiers, we must be fighting for something. Is it justice? Is it loyalty? I keep thinking that everything we're doing, everything _they're_ doing, is for nothing because what's the point of fighting when all it ever leads to is more death?"

He pointed to the black string. "This is Sylar. I stabbed him that night, but he regenerated because… because he took the power from the cheerleader." Hiro looked at Danny, for the first time realizing what he needed to do. "I need to save the cheerleader."

Danny chuckled. He didn't know why, or even at what, but the conversation seemed so futile that talking about it seemed like one big joke. "Do you realize that the world will probably never recover from this? It's a horrible thought to entertain, but it's the truth. We live in hell. There's nothing we can do to change it. Everyone is fighting for a better future, but I don't believe any other future exists. Then again, how can we forget the past? Those times that were true. Where heroes existed. It's all we have if the future we hope for will never come."

"Danny, I've figured it out. Save the cheerleader. Save the world."

The boy smiled.

Hiro rushed to where his bed was. "She is the key." He grabbed his sword, flipping it over his head and across his shoulder. "I need to give the message to someone who can use it. I can't risk breaking the space/time continuum by talking to myself… but Peter. Peter has the ability to save her."

Danny watched him go to the door. "Can you really save the world?"

"Yes." He smiled. "I am a hero."

* * *

Hiro thought of the perfect opportunity to tell Peter what he needed to do. It would have to be before Sylar killed her, but not far enough that he couldn't do anything about it. He approached a broken down subway car. He recalled a time when Peter told him that he and Mohinder were on the train and he told him about Isaac's powers.

It was the perfect time.

Hiro jumped on top of the car and closed his eyes. Traveling through time was instantaneous to everyone but him. He had to move through space. Through time to get to his destination. He closed his eyes and time stopped, choosing everyone but Peter to be frozen within it.

Hiro walked onto the train. "Peter Petrelli."

He turned around, shocked. Amazed. And confused all at the same time. "What?" He said. "Are… are you doing this?"

He looked at Peter's face. It was amazing to see him so different. "You look different without the scar."

Peter took long sharp breaths, keeping his eyes on the intruder in the rail car. "I don't know you."

"Not yet." He took a step forward. He needed to give him the message. "My name is Hiro Nakamura. I am from the future. And I have a message for you."

He came closer.

Peter stepped back.

"I don't have much time… I'm risking a rift just coming here." He looked at the man who would become a great warrior. "The girl. You have to save her."

"What girl?"

"The cheerleader. It's the only way to prevent it."

"Prevent what?"

He paused. This Peter knew nothing about the world that he was going to save. Hiro took a deep breath. "Everything… listen to me: she _must _live. The painter, Isaac, go to him. He will know. When I call you, you must tell me where we meet."

Peter tried to make sense of what Hiro was saying.

"You told me many times how lost you felt before it all started… _this_ is what you've been waiting for. Be the one we need."

He shook his head. A lock of hair falling across his eye.

The message was given. There was nothing left to do but go back to his own time. Hiro turned around and walked away.

"Wait," Peter called after him.

"Save the cheerleader. Save the world."

"Wait, Hiro… I don't understand!"

And he was gone. Time went back to normal and Hiro traveled back to the future. But he had high hopes of finally creating a world that didn't end in tragedy, like the one described by Danny. A world that wasn't doomed to destruction. So he went forward in time five years. Five years into the future to see how everything turned out.

He appeared in front of Isaac's loft.

But everything was the same.

Why was everything the same?

He looked up. And why was a light on in Isaac's loft?

He ran into the building, racing up the stairs to the top floor. Entering through the door, he heard a noise. He reached up and unsheathed his sword.

But Hiro, from the past, stood in front of him.

Ando stood a few feet behind the past Hiro.

"You," he said.

Past Hiro's eyebrows went up. "Me?"

"What are you doing here?"

THE END…


End file.
